It's Better to Share the Pain
by natty637
Summary: During their first battle at the Valley of the End, Naruto killed his best-friend and teammate, Sasuke. Following the events that transpired during their clash, Naruto is overwhelmed with sadness and guilt. Can a certain pink-haired kunoichi help him through the pain? Watch as the relationship between Naruto and Sakura begins as friendship and blossoms into something more. NaruSaku
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first attempt at a fanfic, so please be gentle. The pairing will be Naruto and Sakura, along with other pairings as the story progresses.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 1

It was a bright and sunny day in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The streets were bustling with villagers and shinobi alike going about their daily routines. Not everyone was in such high spirits at the moment, however.

In one room of Konoha's hospital lay a 13-year-old boy wrapped from head-to-toe in white bandages like a mummy. His name was Naruto Uzumaki. He had just returned a few days ago from his fight in the Valley of the End against former teammate, Sasuke Uchiha.

Flashback:

Naruto had pursued Sasuke in hopes he could convince him to return to the village so they could grow stronger together and defeat Itachi as a team. Despite his best efforts, it was already too late. The curse mark Orochimaru gave Sasuke in the Forest of Death had already begun to twist his mind. Knowing there was no other way to get through to Sasuke, an intense clash ensued between the two.

As the fight continued on, Naruto found himself to be on death's doorstep. That is when the Kyuubi took over, causing a familiar chakra began to envelop Naruto and sprout one tail behind him. The fight finally reached its climax when Sasuke and Naruto charged at each other head-on with their most powerful Jutsu in tow. A powerful dark sphere surrounded the two, causing the valley to shake. Once the smoke had begun to clear, Naruto noticed that his Rasengan had pierced through the left side of Sasuke's chest, completely destroying his heart. His former teammate and best friend was dead.

Present Time:

We join our hero in his hospital room as he is staring at the dull white ceiling. Naruto lie in his hospital bed in complete and total silence. If one were to described what he was feeling at the current moment, it was sadness and overwhelming guilt. Not only had Naruto lost someone that he had come to deeply care about, but he felt miserable over the fact that he couldn't fulfill his promise to bring Sasuke back to the girl that had adored him.

He was pulled out his train of thought when he heard a few raps on the hospital door. As the door slid open, the Godaime Hokage strode in. She gave Naruto a small smile as her eyes met his. "Hey, brat. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better Granny," Naruto replied sadly.

"I know you're still feeling guilty about what happened Naruto, but you need to remember that Orochimaru is the one responsible. That aside, the reason I'm here is that you have a visitor who'd like to see you. You feeling up to it?" Tsunade asked.

"I guess it can't hurt. Send them in." Naruto said.

Tsunade nodded as she walked back over to the door. As it slid open once again, a pink-haired girl garbed in a red qipao dress with a pair of tight green biker shorts and blue sandals walked in. It was none other than Sakura Haruno, Naruto's teammate.

As soon as she saw Naruto, Sakura ran over and embraced him in a warm hug. She then whispered in his ear, "Naruto. Thank goodness you're alright. What happened?"

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan," Naruto replied as tears began to trickle down his face.

Sakura was beyond confused. She released Naruto from the hug and pulled up a chair next to his hospital bed. Fixing her gaze on Naruto once again, she proceeded to ask him why he was so upset, "I don't understand. Why are you apologizing?"

Naruto didn't say a word.

"Naruto please talk to me. I want to help, but I won't know what to do unless you tell me what's bothering you. Don't keep your feelings bottled up inside because it will only make you feel worse. Please tell me what happened." Sakura said in a calm and reassuring tone.

"The mission was a failure. I couldn't bring Sasuke back. I did everything I could to try and convince him to come home, but nothing worked. I had no choice but to kill Sasuke." Naruto said as he continued to sob. "It was the only way to save him from that bastard Orochimaru. I'm sorry Sakura-chan. I failed in my promise to bring Sasuke back to you."

"Naruto, please don't be so hard on yourself. I don't blame you for what happened. Orochimaru was the one filling Sasuke's head with nothing but lies, causing him to make his choice to abandon the village. Sasuke was going down a dark path that I'm not sure any of us might have been able to save him from, based on how determined he was to get revenge on his brother for slaughtering the rest of his clan. Maybe Sasuke will finally be at peace now that he's with his parents again." Sakura said.

Naruto gave Sakura a weak smile.

"Besides if there's anyone who should be sorry, it's me. I was the one who asked you to make that once in a lifetime request to bring Sasuke back. And look at what happened. You got injured trying to do something at my expense yet again." Sakura said as she broke down in tears.

"Please don't cry Sakura-chan. It makes me sad to see you like that. You know that I would do anything to make you happy." Naruto said, causing Sakura to lift up her in surprise.

'There he goes again. Naruto is always putting someone else's happiness before his own. He is such a loving and caring person. Why did I always use to treat him so harshly?' Sakura thought to herself as she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes.

Though he was feeling a bit better, Naruto still didn't like the fact that he was keeping things from someone who he had come to trust and care about. Recalling what Sakura had said to heart about keeping things bottled-up, Naruto decided that he did not want to hold anything back from her anymore. He felt it was time for Sakura to know about the truth about the Kyuubi.

Turning his head to look at the Godaime, he proceeded to ask her, "Hey Granny Tsunade, do I have your permission to tell Sakura about my burden?"

"Lord Third's law once forbid discussion of it, but I will leave the choice up to you Naruto. If you feel that it is something you wish to share with Sakura in good confidence, then by all means." Tsunade said.

"Thanks, Granny. Could you please give us some time alone?" Naruto asked.

"Sure brat. I'll come back to check on you later." Tsunade replied.

Once the Godaime had exited the room, Naruto turned his attention back to Sakura.

"Okay, Sakura-chan. What I'm about to tell you is a classified S-ranked secret. Can you give me your word that you will not share what I'm about to tell you with anyone else?" Naruto asked.

Slowly nodding her head, Naruto took this as a sign to continue. "Do you remember seeing an unfamiliar orange chakra that appeared around me during my fight against Neji?"

"Yes, but what does this have to do with the so-called 'burden' you carry?" Sakura inquired.

"What you saw that day was no ordinary source of chakra. You see Sakura-chan, I have two sources of chakra. Neji thought that he had sealed all of my chakra points, but he was wrong. What he failed to notice was that I had an additional source that I'm able to tap into aside from my own. The reason for that is because I'm a jinchuriki like Gaara. More specifically though, I am the container of the Nine-Tailed Fox." Naruto said.

Sakura's eyes widened in shock at Naruto's revelation. "But how is that possible? The demon was killed by the Yondaime Hokage thirteen years ago." Sakura asked.

"That's what the village was led to believe, but the truth is that the Kyuubi was never killed. Sandaime-Ojiisan told me that the Nine-Tailed fox was too strong; even more powerful than Lord Fourth. The only way to stop the demon was by sealing it within a newborn baby. That newborn just so happened to be me." Naruto said.

"How did you find all this out?" Sakura inquired.

"It was that good for nothing traitor Mizuki. The rat said I had a chance to graduate if I helped him steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. When Iruka-sensei intercepted me after I had taken the scroll, Mizuki told me the truth about the Kyuubi. Aside from Sandaime-Ojiisan, Iruka-sensei had been one of the only people to respect me despite who I was. Hearing him stand up to Mizuki for me that night, there's no way I was going to leave Iruka-sensei there to die. Using the Shadow Clone Jutsu, I helped stop Mizuki from getting away with the scroll. Hiruzen-Ojiisan and Iruka-sensei promoted me to Genin for my bravery." Naruto replied.

Sakura sat there in silence, allowing for her brain to soak in all the information that Naruto had just shared.

"I hope this explains why I have been so reluctant to tell anyone. As much as it pains me to see you cry, I wanted to be nothing but honest with you. Just like you said to me, I don't want you to blame yourself for what happened either. I wanted to bring Sasuke back because he was our friend and teammate. The reason I'm wrapped up in bandages though is from chakra burns. Those burns were caused by the Kyuubi, not Sasuke. You were one of the first people to truly accept me for who I am. I would understand if you don't want to be near me anymore. After all, I'm nothing more than a demon just like the villagers say." Naruto said.

Tears began to form in Sakura's eyes once again. It all made sense now. Why the villagers called him a demon. Why he had no friends growing up. Naruto was being blamed for the damage caused by the Nine-Tailed fox thirteen years ago. No matter how much Naruto had tried to separate himself from the kitsune, the villagers still refused to acknowledge him. If they knew who the real Naruto was and what he has had to endure, perhaps they wouldn't be so quick to judge.

"I'm so sorry Naruto. I acted like such a bitch, treating you like dirt while you have been nothing but supportive and caring. Thank you for being so honest. It means a lot that you trust me enough to share this information. I promise that I will not disclose anything to anyone, especially that loudmouth Ino-pig." Sakura said.

Watching as Naruto's eyes widened, Sakura continued. "And I don't ever want you to call yourself a demon ever again. The Naruto I have come to know is an honest and loving person who will do anything to protect those he cares about. You are not the Kyuubi. You are Naruto Uzumaki. There is no way I'm going to let some dumb fox scare me off from you."

"Thank you Sakura-chan," Naruto said.

"Of course Naruto," Sakura replied, as she moved to embrace Naruto in a hug once again.

Finally pulling away, an idea popped into Sakura's mind that she thought might help cheer Naruto up. "Hey Naruto, how about we get some ramen from Ichiraku once you get discharged?" She asked.

"Sure Sakura-chan. I'd like that." Naruto responded.

"Okay," Sakura said while looking up at the clock. "Whoops, I lost track of time. Sorry Naruto, but I need to head home. My parents are probably waiting to have dinner."

"Thanks again Sakura-chan. For everything." Naruto said.

"You're welcome Naruto. See you tomorrow." Sakura replied as she gave him a warm smile before getting up to leave.

After Sakura was gone, Naruto let his head rest against the pillows once again as he drifted off to sleep. Despite the hardships he had to face, maybe there was happiness ahead in his future.

A/N: There you go, folks! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Please leave me a review to tell me what you think or how I can improve the story.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: It was brought to my attention by one of my readers that Sakura was a bit out of character in the previous chapter, especially with her reaction to the news of Sasuke's death and Naruto being the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. The reason Sakura was portrayed in such a manner is that she was putting on a brave face, while she was internally shaken just as much as Naruto. The previous chapter was more meant to have Sakura acting as a pillar of strength for Naruto, considering he was the one who had to fight Sasuke in the Final Valley and was having to deal with the loss of his best friend the most. While Sakura may not have acted the way some of you were expecting, I hope that this chapter will help explore what Sakura is going through after losing the person she thought that she loved along with the painful revelation from Naruto.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places or original plots. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 2

Sakura was leaning against the rail of the bridge where Team 7 normally met up. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night after being dealt a considerable blow twice in the same day. First came the news that her former heartthrob, Sasuke Uchiha, had been killed in an intense clash between himself and Naruto. While there was no denying the fact that Sakura held feelings for Sasuke, the pink-haired kunoichi didn't miss him quite as much as she had initially anticipated. At least not for the reason of winning over his affection and one day fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha. In the aftermath of learning about Sasuke's passing, Sakura had begun to question what her feelings for Sasuke were and if what she felt for the last loyal member of the Uchiha clan had been nothing more than an infatuation. What spurred this sudden change in the young pinkette? The answer was simple. It was the startling revelation that her other teammate Naruto had shared with her about being the container of the Nine-Tailed fox.

When the pinkette went to visit Naruto in the hospital yesterday and saw him covered in bandages, Sakura couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of guilt slowly beginning to bubble to the surface. Furthermore, the kunoichi was also beginning to regret making Naruto swear that he would bring Sasuke back no matter what, even if it came at the cost of his own life. Just as she had during encounters with Zabuza and Haku in the Land of Waves, Orochimaru in the Forest of Death and most recently Team Dosu; Sakura had proven to be nothing more than a liability to her teammates. She had to depend on Sasuke and Naruto to save her one time after another, all because Sakura had always prioritized her crush over Sasuke instead of taking her training seriously. She now began to understand why Sasuke had called her weak and annoying on more than one occasion.

It was also during this time that Sakura had begun to realize that looks weren't everything. In her own efforts to turn over a new leaf and take her career as a kunoichi of Konohagakure seriously, Sakura couldn't help but notice how much Naruto had grown from being considered the worst student in their class to becoming one of the Leaf's most promising upcoming prospects. Sakura had to admit that even her own initial impressions of the blonde were now quite different regarding the hyperactive loudmouth. As she spent more time around Naruto after being placed on the same team, Sakura had slowly begun to soften her stance a bit about the blonde when she realized just how much common ground they really shared. This included things such as being bullied as a child or just wanting someone to acknowledge them. Sakura was so caught up falling in line with those who belittled and treated him like dirt that she hadn't really gotten to know the real Naruto. That was something the pinkette was now determined to change. She wanted to be there for Naruto; to help him carry this burden and support him in any way she could. The only problem was; she didn't know how.

Sakura was interrupted when she heard a poof of smoke next to her. Her sensei, Kakashi Hatake, appeared next to her whilst reading a page from his Icha Icha book. Kakashi turned to Sakura and gave her a lazy wave. "Yo!"

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei. What brings you here?" Sakura inquired.

"I just came to see how you were holding up after hearing the news about Sasuke. Judging by the glum expression on your face, I can tell that you aren't taking it well. Want to talk about it?" Kakashi asked.

"Hai. I heard the news about Sasuke yesterday, but it's hard to put into words what I'm feeling right now. One part of me is heartbroken because I lost the boy that I had feelings for. The other part, however, feels at peace to some degree knowing that he is now free of any pain and misery. I can't even imagine what Sasuke had to go through on a daily basis, reliving the painful images of seeing his clan members being slaughtered right before his very own eyes. I just feel so powerless. No matter how much I tried to reach out and help him, even going as far as to profess my love for him on the night he left, Sasuke still saw me as nothing more than an annoying fangirl." Sakura said as tears began flowing from her eyes.

Trying to regain her composure a bit, she continued, "His last words to me before he left were 'thank you' and then he knocked me out from behind. I was desperately clinging to every last thread of hope that Sasuke would one day reciprocate my feelings for him, going as far as to ask Naruto to make a once in a lifetime request to bring him back. When I visited Naruto in the hospital yesterday, I felt so guilty for having him make that promise. Naruto told me I shouldn't blame myself, but I disagree. No matter how much I have tried to improve myself to become a better ninja, I'm still nothing more than a burden to Naruto." Sakura said while looking down at the water flowing below.

"Naruto is absolutely right Sakura. Your intentions may have appeared to be out of selfish reasoning on the surface, but underneath it all, I can tell that both you and Naruto truly meant it when you wanted to help Sasuke takedown Itachi together as a team. Besides, if there is anyone who should be held accountable, it's me." Kakashi said.

This caused Sakura to lift up her head in shock.

"On the day of your Genin test, I spoke of how important teamwork is. I'm the hypocrite now. I saw so much of myself in Sasuke that I wanted him to succeed where I had failed. Because I was so focused on training Sasuke, I failed to be there for you and Naruto." Kakashi said in a sad tone.

"Don't say that sensei. You tried to teach us the best you can." Sakura said.

"I appreciate the kind words Sakura, but this is a failure that I cannot overlook. From now on, you have my word that I will be there to train both of you the way I should have been from day one." Kakashi assured.

"Thanks, sensei," Sakura said.

"You're welcome Sakura," Kakashi replied humbly.

"Speaking of Naruto, I actually just came from visiting him at the hospital. He mentioned that you two had a pretty interesting discussion yesterday. So you know about the Kyuubi now?" Kakashi asked.

"Hai. Naruto was the one who made the decision to share it with me. I didn't pressure him into saying anything, but I could tell that Naruto wanted to get it off his chest." Sakura said.

"And how do you feel about Naruto now that you are aware of the fact that he is a jinchuriki?" Kakashi inquired.

"To be honest Kakashi-sensei, I was feeling a number of things. Anger, sadness, the list goes on. Nevertheless, it makes me admire Naruto that much more. He's had to put up with all the hatred and abuse that the villagers have thrown at him, yet he doesn't once blame the Kyuubi for the reason his life has been so difficult. Instead, Naruto is taking responsibility for his actions and continues to work his ass off to prove everyone wrong. It makes me proud to say that I can call Naruto my friend and teammate." Sakura replied.

Kakashi gave Sakura an eye smile, but he could tell that something was still bothering her, "I'm glad to hear that Sakura, but I can tell that something is still weighing on you. If you'd like to continue talking, I'd be happy to lend an ear and offer a possible suggestion if something comes to mind."

"Sure sensei, that would be nice. Between Sasuke's passing and Naruto dropping that bombshell on me, I feel like a complete and utter mess right now. I spent 3-4 hours with my face planted in my pillow yesterday, crying for a boy that I thought I loved even though he made it very clear that he didn't see me the same way. What's really been weighing on my mind though is Naruto. I put on a brave face in front of him yesterday because I know he needs a shoulder to lean on and help him grieve, but I still feel like there's something more I could do. Despite my best efforts to try and come up with ideas, my mind has been drawing a blank." Sakura said.

"Care to elaborate a bit more?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm just so sick and tired of having to depend on others to fight my battles for me. Naruto and Sasuke always had to step in to protect me. What made things even worse was seeing them get injured on my behalf because I'm too weak and no good in a fight." Sakura said.

"I don't think Naruto would agree with that assessment Sakura. You have made some very good progress since the Chunin exams. Had you not stuck up for Naruto and Sasuke against Team Dosu, neither of them would have lived to see the light of day. In fact, it makes me proud that you took my very first lesson to heart about standing by your comrades and friends no matter what. A ninja is doomed to fail if they try to carry everything on their shoulders alone." Kakashi said.

"Thanks for the pep talk sensei, but I doubt see how that solves my dilemma," Sakura said while giving off a soft smile.

"I think I see what the problem is and have a possible solution in mind. While you were so caught up in trying to think of ways you could support Naruto, you were just making things more complicated than they need to be. Have you ever considered training to be a medic-nin?" Kakashi asked.

Baffled by his inquiry, Sakura tilted her head to the side. "I'm not quite sure I understand where you're going with this sensei," Sakura said.

You just said it yourself. I've noticed the expressions on your face whenever you saw Naruto or Sasuke getting injured during fights in the past. The reason I brought up the possibility of learning medical ninjutsu is because of your excellent chakra control. If you were to seek training from someone skilled in medical ninjutsu such as the Godaime herself, you could help not just Naruto, but any other comrade or stranger by healing wounds. Lady Tsunade also possesses incredible strength and is quite skilled in taijutsu, which would be useful in close-quarters combat." Kakashi replied.

A light bulb lit up in Sakura's mind as all the information her sensei had just pointed out sunk into her brain. She finally knew what to do.

"Thanks for the advice Kakashi-sensei. If you don't mind, there's somewhere I need to be." Sakura said.

"You're welcome Sakura. I'm glad that I could point you in the right direction. Good luck with Lady Tsunade." Kakashi said, giving her another eye smile before he vanished in a puff of smoke.

'How did he know that's where I was gonna go to next? Ah, whatever.' Now having a clear goal of what she wanted to accomplish with her ninja career, Sakura took off towards the Hokage mansion in hopes that the Godaime could help her.

XXXX

The Godaime was currently sitting in her office trying to make a dent in her paperwork. She already had a splitting headache after dealing with the nagging old geezers about the news of Sasuke's passing and the stacks of paperwork just continued to make things worse. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," Tsunade said.

"Pardon me for interrupting Tsunade-sama, but I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time?" Sakura inquired.

"Of course Sakura. Please come in. So what brings you by?" Tsunade asked.

"I wanted to ask if you would take me on as your apprentice," Sakura replied.

This caused Tsunade to raise an eyebrow, "And why should I do that Sakura?"

"Well Tsunade-sama, I just got through talking with Kakashi-sensei about some stuff that had been weighing on my mind. After Naruto told me about the Kyuubi yesterday, I had stayed up nearly all night trying to think of ways that I could help Naruto in the future so he wouldn't have to deal with the responsibilities placed upon his shoulders by himself. That's when Kakashi-sensei suggested that I seek out someone skilled in medical ninjutsu. He said that not only would I be able to heal people's wounds, but he also mentioned that you were skilled in close-quarters combat and wield incredible strength. I want to get stronger, so I won't be a burden anymore and have to count on other people to fight on my behalf." Sakura replied.

"Go on," Tsunade said, as she listened keenly, eager to hear else Sakura had to say.

"When the door to his hospital room slid open yesterday, it broke my heart to see him wrapped up like a mummy. Knowing that I'm the reason he's there makes my heart ache even more." Sakura said.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked, confused by Sakura's statement.

"You see Tsunade-sama, I asked Naruto to make a once in a lifetime request to bring Sasuke back. For as long as I can remember, I had been infatuated with Sasuke like almost every other girl in our class at the academy was. No matter what I did to gain his affection, Sasuke saw me as nothing more than an annoying fangirl who was weak and incapable of taking care of herself. What I came to realize after seeing Naruto in that hospital bed was how selfish I had truly been. In addition, I had also failed to notice the one person who had been standing by my side all along." Sakura said.

"You're talking about the brat, right?" Tsunade asked.

"Hai. Naruto has always supported me unconditionally and would do anything just to make me happy. And what did I do? I treated him like dirt, just as most of the village has for years. Naruto has done so much for me and now I want to do the same for him. I want to help him in any way I can. So I ask you again Tsunade-sama, will you please take me on as your apprentice?" Sakura said.

"Very well. Be here tomorrow at noon. I'm not going to go easy on you though." Tsunade said.

"I understand. Arigato, Tsunade-sama." Sakura said.

"You're welcome. Oh and one more thing Sakura. Naruto is due to leave on a three-year training trip in the next few days with the old pervert. I suggest you spend as much time with him as you can before they go." Tsunade said.

"Three years Tsunade-sama? Is a trip that long really necessary?" Sakura asked.

"Unfortunately yes. While I cannot go into specifics, there is a group of rogue nin hunting each of the tailed beasts. Naruto and Gaara are among those targeted. That is all I can say. It's up to Naruto if he wants to share any other information with you." Tsunade said.

"..."

"Is everything alright Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"No m'lady, it's not. Naruto has had to go through so much crap in his life alone. First, the villagers and now this group of rogue nin. It feels as though just when I think I have everything figured out, life tosses me yet another curveball." Sakura said, clearly flustered.

"Your care about Naruto quite a bit, don't you?" Tsunade observed.

"Hai," Sakura replied.

"As difficult as the brat's current predicament may be, I have no doubt in my mind he will be able to overcome this latest obstacle too. Though Naruto has had a rough upbringing, he hasn't let it stop him from achieving his ultimate goal of one day becoming the Hokage." Tsunade said.

Letting out a sigh, Tsunade continued. "Every life Naruto touches is impacted in some profound way. That's because he gives people hope; a reason to believe in believe that things can get better no matter how much hardship one might face. He also has this uncanny ability to bring out the best in people, pushing them to make their own lives better. You of all people should know Sakura. I've noticed that as you've spent more time with the brat, you have started to change from that helpless Uchiha fangirl to a kunoichi who genuinely wants to improve her skills. I can see why you've fallen for him."

The Godaime laughed as she watched Sakura's face turned bright red upon hearing that comment.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Tsunade-sama," Sakura replied in hopes that she could get the busty woman to drop the matter.

"Deny it all you want Sakura, but I can tell you care about Naruto as more than just a friend. The way you talked about him a few moments ago is something that only a girl who's in love would say. While you may not see it yet, I'm sure things will become clearer as you two continue to spend more time with each other. Now go on. The brat is getting discharged in about a half-hour. That should give you plenty of time to prepare for your little 'dinner date' with Naruto." Tsunade teased.

Growing more embarrassed by the second, Sakura gave a quick nod and raced out the door to find Naruto.

Tsunade meanwhile could only smirk. 'Hopefully, that will give Sakura a much-needed kick in the ass to go after the brat before some other girl does. She's just as stubborn and hot-headed as Kushina was. Naruto and his father sure know how to pick em.' She thought to herself.

End Chapter 2

There you go, folks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it helped to flesh out Sakura's character a bit more. I do want to note that I will not be following the events that took place in Canon to the letter. With that being said, there will be divergences along with bits of Canon tied together from time to time. I know that the pacing may be a bit fast, but I plan to have the time skip take place in a few chapters. Before I conclude this Author's Note, I would like to thank everyone who has been kind enough to follow, favorite and leave a review for the story thus far. I would also like to thank one of my readers for acting as a Beta and offering their suggestions/feedback on my work.

I hope to get updates out at least once or twice a month if possible, but please bear in mind that I have a busy schedule as I run a small business from home and am taking care of an elderly Grandmother simultaneously. Thanks again and I hope y'all have a blessed day!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with Chapter 3 of It's Better to Share the Pain. I will save my thoughts/ramblings for the end so you guys can enjoy the story. I do want to address a few reviews first, however.

YeagerMeister31: I'm glad you've been enjoying the story so far! I know that I have made some changes to the plot such as learning about the Akatsuki's intentions a bit earlier, but as stated in Chapter 2, I wanted to take this story in a different direction than following Canon material to the letter. I tried to go into a bit more detail about this in Chapter 3 because it will be needed to fit the plot I have in mind after the timeskip.

Rivet94: Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully, by taking the plot of my story in a slightly different direction, readers will enjoy a fresh take on NaruSaku that hasn't already been used in other fanfics before.

Shinobi13DragonSlayer: I'm happy to hear that you like the character development I gave Sakura in Chapter 2. Hopefully, I can continue to keep characters close to their typical behaviors in the Manga/Anime as much as possible.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 3:

Having successfully ascertained an apprenticeship to train under the Godaime Hokage, Sakura wasted little time in heading straight over to Konoha's hospital after the busty Hokage told her that Naruto was due to be discharged at any time.

When she arrived at Naruto's room, Sakura found the door to be wide open. She gently knocked on the door a few times before entering to ensure her blonde friend was aware of her presence. Much to Sakura's delight, Naruto was no longer wrapped up like a mummy and had since returned to dressing in his typical attire consisting of the hideous orange and blue jumpsuit that he always wore alongside his blue Shinobi sandals. The blonde jinchuriki was currently packing some of his belongings into a small hospital bag to bring home.

"Hey, Naruto! Tsunade-sama said you were getting discharged finally. Ready to go grab dinner at Ichiraku with me?" Sakura cheerfully inquired.

"You bet Sakura-chan! Just give me a few minutes to get my belongings together." Naruto replied.

"Sure Naruto. I'll be waiting out by the hospital entrance whenever you're ready." Sakura said.

As Sakura made her way back to the lobby, she was thinking about her conversation with the busty Hokage regarding Naruto. What baffled Sakura was her own reaction when Tsunade had insinuated that she had feelings for Naruto. Sakura couldn't understand why she had suddenly felt so nervous and embarrassed at the same time when the Godaime teased her about her plans with Naruto being a date.

'Why am I suddenly feeling this way? It's just Naruto we were talking about. He's nothing more than a friend and teammate right? At least I think he is.' Sakura went back and forth in her mind.

Shaking her head of the thought, Sakura finally saw Naruto coming her way. She waved to him to get his attention.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Sakura-chan. If it's okay with you I need to drop some things off at my apartment. Hope you don't mind." Naruto said.

"Of course not Naruto. We can swing by your apartment on the way to Ichiraku. If I recall, you mentioned that your place isn't too far from the ramen stand, right?" Sakura replied.

"Hai. So you ready to go?" Naruto asked.

"Sure," Sakura said as she gave Naruto a small smile.

XXXX

During their walk to his apartment, Naruto hadn't expected his pink-haired friend to be very talkative, especially after being blindsided by the news of Sasuke's passing and him being the Nine-Tails jinchuriki in the same day. Much to his surprise though, the pinkette was asking him a barrage of questions. This ranged from simple questions about things such as his favorite color to more complex matters such as what had inspired him to become a ninja.

Sakura had stated that she was asking these questions out of genuine curiosity. She went on further to explain that she wanted to know more about the real Naruto and not the one who hid behind a mask while pretending to smile even in times when he wasn't happy.

After dropping off his belongings in his apartment, the two friends now found themselves in front of the infamous Ichiraku Ramen stall. One of the questions Sakura had asked Naruto was why ramen was his favorite food. Naruto replied by saying that he wasn't able to eat at many restaurants or purchase groceries from the local shops because of the resentment that the villagers held towards the Kyuubi. He went on further to explain that Teuchi and Ayame had been among the first people to accept him despite what he had sealed inside his stomach. The Ichirakus had seen Naruto as nothing more than a boy needing a hot meal when he was younger, making him feel welcome and at home.

Nodding in understanding, Sakura couldn't help but begin to feel guilt creeping up on her once again for treating Naruto so harshly just as everyone else from the older generations did. Sakura began to recall her own childhood when she would be bullied over things that were beyond her control. Other girls such as Ami and her friends used to make Sakura's life miserable, picking on Sakura over her pink hair and what she considered to be a large forehead. Had she not met Ino, Sakura felt she might have ended up like Naruto.

Following Naruto into the stand as he lifted the flaps, Sakura watched Naruto greet Teuchi and Ayame while quickly engaging in a lively conversation with the two. Sakura was glad to know that there were people who viewed Naruto as just an ordinary person and not as the Kyuubi's jailer. Dampening Sakura's cheerful mood though was the information that lingered in the back of her mind about the rogue ninja hunting Naruto. Sakura finally spoke up in hopes that she could talk to Naruto about it a bit more.

"Hey, Naruto. I don't mean to be rude and interrupt your chat with Teuchi-san or Ayame-san, but do you mind if we go take our meal to go? I was hoping we could go somewhere a bit more private. There's some stuff I need to talk to you about."

"Sure. I'll take one Miso Pork ramen to go Old Man." Naruto said before turning to Sakura to ask what she wanted to order. "What would you like Sakura-chan? Naruto asked.

"Uhm, I'd like a Vegetable ramen please." Sakura said.

"Coming right up! I'll be back in about 5-10 minutes with your order." Teuchi said.

As her father went in back to prepare Naruto and Sakura's order, Ayame was feeling a little cheeky. She decided to tease her 'little brother' a bit to see if he had finally managed to convince Sakura to go out on a date with him. "So Naruto. Are you and Sakura on a date right now?"

Naruto's face turned red like a tomato. As much as he wished this outing could be a real date with Sakura, he decided to respond before Sakura's temper could erupt. "Stop being mean Ayame-neechan. Sakura-chan offered to treat me to ramen once I got out of the hospital. This is just a couple of friends getting dinner together."

Unbeknownst to Naruto, Sakura had been blushing a bit herself. Normally she would have resorted to giving Naruto a punch in the gut, but she decided to let that comment slide considering it was originally her suggestion to treat him to ramen. She was a bit hurt and disappointed when Naruto told Ayame that is was just a casual outing between friends, but she didn't know why.

'There's that weird feeling again. I don't know why, but hearing Naruto tell Ayame that this wasn't a date caused this weird twinge in my chest. Naruto has always been a loudmouth baka, openly professing his feelings for me, so why the sudden change? Does he not feel the same way anymore? Arghhh, I don't get it! Why is this bothering me so much?"

'**That's because you have feelings for him, even though you don't want to admit it yet.' Inner Sakura chimed in.**

'_Oh great. And here I thought I had gotten rid of you Inner after that fight with Ino-pig during the Chunin exams.' Sakura said, still feeling very frustrated over her current predicament. _

'**I am a manifestation of your inner emotions. If you didn't keep your true feelings or reactions bottled up and actually spoke what's on your mind, then I would probably disappear. And yet you're the one who told Naruto not to keep things bottled up. Looks like you're the hypocrite now.' Inner Sakura replied. **

'_Shut up Inner! I didn't ask for your opinion.' Sakura said._

'**Too bad because someone needs to clearly knock some sense into this thick-headed skull of yours. I mean honestly, how can you be so ignorant and stupid to overlook what has been right in front of us all this time?' Inner Sakura asked.**

'_What the heck are you talking about?' Sakura inquired._

'**I'm talking about Naruto. You may not remember this from your conversation with Naruto the other day, but I sure as hell do. Naruto said he would do anything to make you happy, even if that came at the risk of his own life. Sasuke-Kun would never do anything like that for you. He made that abundantly clear the night he left the village when he called you annoying.' Inner Sakura replied.**

Sakura took a moment to think over what her Inner personality had just said. There was no denying that the logic behind her argument was sound, but Sakura still wasn't convinced that she viewed Naruto in the same way that he did with her.

'_I'll give it some thought.' Sakura mumbled._

'**Good! I know you're still not entirely convinced by what I'm saying, but talk to Naruto. You both are dealing with a lot of sadness and grief over the loss of Sasuke. By working through things together, maybe you can help each other and begin the healing process. Now get going! Don't want to keep your man waiting.' Inner Sakura said.**

Hearing that snarky remark at the end, Sakura wished there was a way to punch her Inner personality. Deciding to ignore Inner Sakura, one final thought that ran through Sakura's mind. 'Could it be that Lady Tsunade was right? Do I have feelings for Naruto and just haven't noticed it yet?'

Sakura was pulled out of thought when she saw a hand waving up and down in front of her face. She was about to snap at whoever was doing it until her emerald eyes met a pair of deep cerulean blue orbs. In front of her was Naruto, likely trying to get her attention to let her know that their meal was ready. Any anger that Sakura had felt as a result of her short temper quickly vanished into thin air when she saw those beautiful blues. It was like a wave of warm water had washed over her, relieving any stress or tension that she had previously felt.

"You okay Sakura-chan? It looked like you were out of it for a moment." Naruto said.

"I'm fine Naruto. Is our order ready yet?" Sakura asked.

"Hai. Old Man Teuchi just finished it up a few minutes ago. Now you said that you wanted to go somewhere else to eat our meal in private right?" Naruto inquired.

Sakura simply gave a small nod in response.

"Alright, I know just the place. Follow me!" Naruto shouted as he grabbed Sakura's hand and raced off towards the Hokage monument.

XXXX

Despite Sakura's initial protests for Naruto to slow down and let go of her hand, she eased her temper a bit, allowing Naruto to lead her across the village in what seemed like a wild goose chase. The two friends finally found themselves on top of the Yondaime's head of the Hokage Monument under a beautiful star-filled sky overhead.

Naruto quickly took a seat and began to dive into his Miso Pork ramen. Sakura gave Naruto a light bonk on the head, telling him to slow down so that his body could properly digest the contents of his favorite meal. After hearing Naruto try to mumble what sounded like a 'sorry' while his mouth was stuffed to the brim, Sakura sighed and took a seat next to him. The two sat there in relative silence as the consumed their meal.

Having finished their ramen, Naruto glanced over toward Sakura. He could tell that something had been bothering her when they were at the ramen stand. The expression on her face was still telling him that she was a bit distraught. Naruto decided to break the silence that had formed between the two and ask her what was wrong. "Hey Sakura-chan, are you sure you're okay? I know you said before we left Ichiraku that you were fine, but I can tell something is bothering you. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"That obvious huh? I guess you were right, I really do have a bad poker face." Sakura replied.

Letting out a deep sigh, Sakura took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. "I'm not gonna lie to you Naruto. There's been a lot on my mind the past few days. Between the news of Sasuke's death and then you dropping that bombshell about the Kyuubi, I barely got any sleep last night. If it's okay with you, could we talk about that stuff a bit?" She inquired.

"Of course not. What would you rather focus on first?" Naruto asked.

"I guess we could start with Sasuke. Do you miss him?" Sakura inquired.

"Hai. Sasuke was my best friend and rival. When Sasuke acknowledged me for the first time, the competition between us was what helped me to grow stronger. What about you? I know you loved Sasuke, so I imagine the news of his death must really be hard on you." Naruto said.

"Yeah. I miss him too, but not in the way you're thinking." Sakura replied, causing Naruto's eyes to widen.

"I thought I loved Sasuke, but to be honest with you Naruto; I'm beginning to wonder if I ever really did," Sakura said as she proceeded to tell Naruto about what happened the night Sasuke left the village.

(A little while later...)

"So as you can see, Sasuke made it clear he didn't feel the same way. No matter how hard I worked to improve as a kunoichi and separate myself from the other fangirls, the only thing Sasuke thought of me as was an annoying girl who was nothing but a liability and a burden to both you and him." Sakura said as tears began to pour from her eyes.

"Hey. Don't talk about yourself like that Sakura-chan. Sasuke may have thought that way, but I have always believed in you. I admit that you're still rough around the edges, but so am I." Naruto said while giving her a toothy grin. "Besides, it's never too late to make changes. Neji used to be the same with that stick up his ass, but he is actually taking my advice that nothing is set in stone. I have always believed that if you don't like the hand that life has dealt us, we each have the power within ourselves to change our own future. That's why I'm saying the same thing to you Sakura-chan. You can be anyone you want to be. And no matter what you decide to do, I will be there to support and cheer you on along the way."

"Thanks, Naruto, but there's something else I need to tell you. When I visited you in the hospital yesterday, I was putting on a brave face. I told you not to keep things bottled up because it would only make you feel worse, yet I did the very same thing myself last night. I cried for hours into my pillow over Sasuke. I know you said that you didn't want me to blame myself, but how can I not do that. I was so desperate to get Sasuke's attention that I didn't take your own feelings into consideration. I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused you Naruto." Sakura said as tears continued to roll down her face.

"Shh. It's okay Sakura-chan. Let it all out." Naruto said as he wrapped his arms around Sakura. He began rocking her back and forth gently while rubbing her back in hopes to comfort her.

"I know it hurts and I miss him too. We'll get through this together, I promise." Naruto said in a reassuring tone.

"I don't understand Naruto. How can you forgive so easily, especially me of all people? How can you forgive a self-centered girl who has caused you nothing but pain?" Sakura managed to get out in between sobs.

"It's like I said, I would do anything to make you happy. Even when I've had the shittiest of days, seeing your beautiful smile always helps to make it better." Naruto replied.

Sakura's head shot up in surprise. Now she was genuinely curious about why Naruto always put someone else's happiness above his own. "Why do you always put someone else's well-being above your own baka? Your life has been filled with nothing but hardship and yet here you are comforting someone like me, a person who has never known the amount of crap you had to endure growing up."

"Sandaime-Ojiisan told me that if I wish to be Hokage one day, I need to remember that there is more to the job than just being acknowledged. When you are given a position of power like that, you need to think about the interests of everyone else's lives as well. The reason Ojiisan was so happy while he was Hokage, even despite all the damn paperwork, was because he considered everyone to be his family. It didn't matter who you were or what background you came from. Ojiisan was like Teuchi-san and Ayame-neechan, he made everyone feel like they had a home here." Naruto said.

Wiping the few stray tears remaining in her eyes, Sakura looked at Naruto and gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Naruto, that helped a lot. I understand why you cared about him so much."

"I'm glad. Seeing you cry makes me feel sad." Naruto replied, releasing his grip on Sakura so he could get up to stretch.

Sakura continued to watch Naruto and found herself going deep into thought once again. 'So this is what it feels like to be truly loved. Sasuke never did anything like this for me. Lady Tsunade and Inner were right. I do see Naruto as more than a friend. Whatever I felt for Sasuke was nothing more than a childish crush. These feelings I have for Naruto are real. Though he may be an idiot, Naruto always goes out of his way to make others happy. I'm going to take Lady Tsunade's advice and spend as much time with him as I can. That is the only way I'll be able to know just how deep my feelings for Naruto go.'

As Sakura came back to reality, she noticed her friend was looking at the stars that shone above. "It's beautiful up here at this time of day isn't it?" Sakura said.

"Yeah. I always come up here by myself whenever I want to be alone and think. It helps me forget about all the problems in the world. This place just has a certain allure. Not sure if it's the view or something else, but I feel like this is a special place." Naruto replied.

"Thanks for sharing this with me Naruto," Sakura said.

"Sure Sakura-chan," Naruto said.

"Anyway, there's one other thing I wanted to talk about with you before I head for home. Why don't you come sit down again? I promise I don't bite." Sakura said while flashing a small smile as she patted the ground next to her.

After Naruto had taken a seat, Sakura took a moment to catch her breath before she began. "So this afternoon, I sought out Lady Tsunade and asked her to take me on as her apprentice."

"Oh. And what brought that on?" Naruto asked, now very intrigued.

"Well after you told me about the Kyuubi yesterday, I had been trying to think of ways that I could support you in the future. That was another reason I didn't get too much sleep last night."

"I see. I'm sorry if I scared you yesterday Sakura-chan with my secret. It was never my intention to make worry to the point where you couldn't sleep." Naruto said.

"It's okay Naruto. I asked Lady Tsunade to take me on as her second apprentice because I want to grow stronger myself and become a better kunoichi. More importantly, though, I'm doing this because I want to help you. Seeing you in that hospital room wrapped up like a mummy was a much-needed wake-up call for me. You were there because of a selfish promise I asked you to make. And before you even think of trying to contradict me, please listen to what I have to say." Sakura said in a slightly demonic tone to warn Naruto.

Gulping from the threat, Naruto gave Sakura a small nod as a sign for her to continue. "I'm tired of being a burden. That's why when I talked about this with Kakashi-sensei yesterday, he suggested I seek out Lady-Tsunade to be trained in medical ninjutsu. Not only would I be able to help heal wounds, but Lady Hokage is also very proficient in close-quarters combat."

Naruto remained silent as he continued to listen to what Sakura had to say.

"Before I left to come meet up with you, Lady-Tsunade mentioned that you are going to be leaving the village in a few days with Master Jiraiya for some sort of training trip. She went on further to say that the primary reason for this trip was due to a group of rogue ninja that are hunting the bijuu. I'm not going to pressure you into saying anything, but I was hoping you could tell me more about them." Sakura said.

"What Granny Tsunade told you is correct. Pervy Sage said that the group goes by the name of Akatsuki. He apparently has an informant that planted within the organization several years ago that is gathering intelligence on their motives, movements, etc. The Akatsuki's reason for targeting each every tailed beast still remains a mystery, so I'm afraid there isn't any additional information I can share with you." Naruto said.

"I see. Well just remember that you're not alone in this anymore Naruto. You have people who care about you. That includes me too. From here on out, you will never be alone ever again. I will always be by your side, as your teammate and friend. No matter what happens in the future, any challenges we face, we'll face them together. That's my promise of a lifetime to you." Sakura said as she reached for Naruto's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan," Naruto said as he brought Sakura into a hug. As he was pulling away, Naruto noticed a female ANBU had appeared behind the two young Genin.

"Pardon the interruption Naruto, but the Godaime has requested your presence at the Hokage Tower immediately." The ANBU said.

"Okay, Neko-chan. Tell Granny that I'll be there as soon as I can." Naruto replied.

The ANBU nodded before she shunshined away.

"Sorry to cut this short Sakura-chan, but I better go see what Granny wants. Would you like to hang out again tomorrow? I don't have to leave for a few days." Naruto said.

"Sure, Naruto. I'd like that. I'm going to be training with Tsunade-sama starting around noon, but I'll try to meet you up as soon as I can. Goodnight." Sakura replied, giving him a small smile.

"Night Sakura-chan," Naruto said before running off to see Granny as he called her.

XXXX

Over the next few days before Naruto's departure, Sakura had begun her training with the Godaime. Lady Tsunade had not been lying to Sakura when she said that she would not go easy on her. Sakura's training sessions were long and exhausting, but Sakura was determined to continue pushing forward.

Whenever Sakura wasn't training with the Godaime, she was spending as much of her free time as possible with Naruto. The two had become practically inseparable, grabbing lunch and dinner together every day. They had been sparring, enjoying the view from the Hokage Monument, and even playing pranks on some unsuspecting villagers. Every moment that Sakura spent with Naruto had begun to erase a painful memory of something with Sasuke. At the same time, Sakura's feelings for Naruto continued to deepen more and more with each passing day. She believed that she was truly beginning to fall for the blonde knucklehead just as her master had thought she might.

XXXX

The day for Naruto's departure had finally come. Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, Iruka, Teuchi, Ayame and Sakura had all gathered at the village to exchange their well-wishes and goodbyes. Each of them would miss Naruto's cheerful presence in the village for a few years, but nobody was feeling the impact of his departure nearly as much as Sakura. Saying goodbye for her was the hardest of all.

"I'm gonna miss you Naruto. Promise you'll send me a letter when you have the chance. It will help to fill the void that I'll be feeling with you gone." Sakura said while trying to hold back tears.

"I'll miss you too Sakura-chan. Good luck with your training with Granny Tsunade. And I'll try to write to you whenever time permits. Before I go though, there's something I want to ask of you as well." Naruto said.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Whenever you get sad, think of something that makes you happy. Can you do that for me?" Naruto inquired.

As she pretended to think for a moment, her face quickly lit up with a bright smile adorning her beautiful features. "Believe it!" Sakura replied cheerfully.

Naruto gave her one of his infamous fox-like grins before turning back to Jiraiya.

"Ready to go brat?" Jiraiya asked.

"You bet Pervy Sage," Naruto replied.

As the master and student walked off into the distance, Sakura stood there watching them until they were out of view. Though she was sad to see Naruto go, Sakura knew it was for the best so he could grow into a stronger ninja. Remembering Naruto's request, Sakura's mind traveled back to all of the happy moments she had shared with him over the last few days. It was right in that moment that Sakura knew her feelings were not only genuine, but she really did love Naruto. When he returned in three years, Sakura told herself that she would confess her feelings to Naruto.

End Chapter 3

A/N: Three chapters in one month! I'm very proud of myself for pushing to get this chapter done. I hope you guys enjoyed it. As to where the story will be going from here, the next chapter is going to be a bit of a filler. I have part of it planned and/or written already. One of my readers who has been giving me their input and feedback suggested I start to bring other characters in. The next chapter will focus on Sakura and Ino. After that will likely be the first chapter of the time skip in which Naruto will return from his three-year training trip just as he did in Canon. As stated in the last chapter, I will be following some parts of Canon. The Kazekage rescue arc will be included, but there will be a shift in the events plot-wise that I'm looking to pursue.

I would once again like to express my gratitude to those who have faved, followed, and left a review for the story thus far. It makes me feel very humbled to know that there are people who enjoy my writing. I know that this story is still a work-in-progress, but I am hoping that as I continue this story that the quality of my work will continue to improve. Thanks again and I'll see you guys next time!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another new chapter. Before we get into it, I want to provide some context about this chapter. As I stated in my Author's Note at the end of Chapter 3, I wanted to write a filler chapter that would focus on the friendship/rivalry of Sakura and Ino. This chapter takes place during the three-year timeskip while Naruto is away. It was inspired by the flashback scene from the episode of Shippuden when Ino and Sakura were partaking in the Chunin exam, specifically when they are reminiscing about their training with Lady Tsunade while Naruto was away from the village.

I apologize for the lack of action, but I promise that will be coming in the next few chapters, starting with the second bell test. I'm not very good at writing fights or action, but I will try to give it my best effort. In any case though, I hope you guys enjoy this filler chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 4

Ino and Sakura had just finished a long and grueling day of training and studying with Lady Tsunade. Three months had passed since Ino had come to request that the Godaime train her in medical ninjutsu as well. Having successfully passed the test of healing an octopus, the two rivals were now on top of the Mohawk Fish Market, watching the sun begin to set just over the horizon.

"So what made you seek out Lady Tsunade to learn Medical Ninjutsu?" Ino asked her friend out of genuine curiosity.

"To be honest with you Ino, it was Naruto. When I saw him in the hospital a few days after he had returned from the failed attempt to bring Sasuke back to the village alive, he was covered from head-to-toe in bandages due to several chakra burns and wounds he sustained during the fight. I felt like such a horrible person because I had to depend on Naruto yet again to bring Sasuke back for my own selfish reasons. I was so sick of being a burden to other people, not being to hold my own in a fight without having to count on others to do it for me. That's why before he left, I promised Naruto that I would train hard too. I want to be able to stand by his side and support him in any way I can. He has had to shoulder enough of other people's burdens by himself in the past and I don't want to lose another teammate like we did with Sasuke." Sakura replied.

"Speaking of which, I don't mean to bring up any painful memories Sakura, but how have you been since Sasuke's passing?" Ino inquired, still greatly concerned about her friend.

"Losing a friend and teammate is one of the hardest things I've ever had to endure. I locked myself in my bedroom and cried for hours, but not because I lost the person I thought I loved." Sakura responded.

"Thought you loved? I don't understand what you mean by that Sakura." Ino said.

"Ino can you honestly tell me what attracted you to Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"Well, let's see. He was good looking, the top of our class, um…." Ino was cut off, as she couldn't think of any other positive attributes or qualities to praise her former crush. "Just where are you going with this Sakura?" Ino inquired.

"Like you and most of the other girls in our class Ino, I liked Sasuke because I thought he was handsome and talented. When Iruka-sensei announced that Sasuke and I were going to be placed on the same team, I felt like I was on cloud nine. Over time though, I came to realize that Sasuke was nothing more than a friend and teammate." Sakura responded.

"I'm still not quite sure I follow." Ino said, clearly confused.

"The night Sasuke was planning on leaving the village to go to Orochimaru, I confronted him in a desperate attempt to convince him to stay. I even admitted my own feelings for him, but Sasuke simply brushed me off as just another annoying fan girl. It wasn't until after his death that I truly began to understand what love is. I had been so blinded by a schoolgirl crush that I ignored the one person who had been supporting me unconditionally along." Sakura replied.

"Judging by the way you were talking about him just now, it sounds like you're in love with Naruto." Ino insinuated as she saw Sakura's cheeks begin to turn red in embarrassment. "Wait! You really do love him Forehead, don't you?" Ino asked.

"There's no point in me trying to hide it because I know you'd just keep egging me on until I told you the truth." Sakura said, letting out a groan in disgust. "Yes. I have feelings for Naruto. During the few days before he left to train with Jiraiya-sama, he helped me overcome the pain I had been feeling. Whether it was eating meals together or playing a prank on some unsuspecting villager, every moment I spent with Naruto erased a painful memory once sketched in my mind of Sasuke. That baka has spent so much time putting other people's happiness above his own, which is why I want to do the same for him. When he returns from his trip in a few years, I'm going to tell him how I feel." Sakura said.

"I'm happy for you Sakura." Ino said.

"Thanks Ino. Promise that you'll keep this between us for now." Sakura said in a pleading tone.

"Uh sure, but I don't see why you're so worried though. Afraid that someone's going to steal your man?" Ino asked teasingly.

"Pig!" Sakura growled.

"Ease up would ya Forehead. I'm not gonna get in the way of you and Naruto. You do know that there is someone else who has a thing for him too right?" Ino asked.

"Well if it isn't you, than who the hell are you talking about?" Sakura snapped back.

"And to think people say Naruto is clueless. Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Ino asked.

"Pig! If you don't tell me who it is, I'm going to…." Sakura was cut off as Ino began to wave her hands in the air.

"Alright, alright! Jeez Forehead, for the girl who had the top grades of our class, you sure aren't very bright. The girl I'm talking about is Hinata. Don't you remember that she's had a crush on Naruto for years?" Ino asked.

Sakura facepalmed at her own idiocy. Not only was she suddenly beginning to feel her blood boil a bit, but she felt her own nervousness and uncertainty creeping up on her. Sakura's mind began to race a mile a minute. 'Shannaro! How could I forget about that? What am I going to do? Will Naruto still feel the same way about me when he returns?'

'**Hinata better stay away from our Naruto-kun!' Inner Sakura shouted in agreement.**

'_Not now Inner.' Sakura shot back._

"If you're done talking to that Inner personality of yours Billboard Brow, I might have a suggestion for you." Ino said.

"How did you know I was talking to Inner?" Sakura inquired.

"I could tell by the look on your face. Plus you have a bad tendency to keep your true thoughts and feelings hidden inside." Ino replied.

"Fair enough. I'm all ears Pig." Sakura said.

"Alright, when Naruto gets back from the three-year trip he's on with the super pervert, make your move as fast as you can." Ino exclaimed while pumping a fist in the air.

"Really? That's you big idea Ino-Pig? I could have gotten better advice from a fortune cookie." Sakura said sarcastically.

"Just hear me out Forehead. Hinata has always had confidence issues, especially around Naruto. Haven't you noticed the way she stutters whenever she tries to talk? Not to mention, Hinata blushes like mad or faints from the slightest touch if Naruto lays even one finger on her. Thank god he's too oblivious to notice that she's into him." Ino said nonchalantly.

"Let's just hope that last part doesn't apply to me as well." Sakura said.

"Relax Billboard Brow. We both know that Naruto has always had a thing for you. You already have that going in your favor. Not to mention that your a lot more confident about yourself. Even if Naruto isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, you can always put it in terms he'll understand." Ino said as she slammed her right fist into her left palm.

"I suppose you're right. Thanks for the advice Pig." Sakura replied, giving her friend a small smile.

"Anytime Forehead." Ino said.

"So how about you? Anyone special that's caught your eye?" Sakura inquired.

Ino let out a deep sigh before replying. "Ugh, not yet. I used to have a thing for Shikamaru, but that's pretty much been shot to hell seeing he's always with that girl from the Sand."

"You mean Temari-san?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah. Ever since Naruto knocked some sense into her nutjob brother during the Sand-Sound Invasion, no pun intended, I've seen her here a lot more often. Now that our villages are part of an alliance, Shikamaru said that he was ordered by Lady Tsunade to be Temari's escort whenever she's here. Every time she goes back to the Sand though, he won't shut up about how glad he is to be rid of that 'troublesome' woman. Even if he doesn't like to admit it, I can tell Shikamaru has a thing for her. No other girl has been able to get that lazy bum off his ass to do things as easily as Temari can." Ino said, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Good point. What about your other teammate, Choji?" Sakura asked.

"Choji is a sweet guy, don't get me wrong, but I don't see him as good boyfriend material. Besides, with the rigorous training that my dad is subjecting me to in learn our clan's jutsu and learning medical ninjutsu from Lady Tsunade, I think I have enough on my plate to worry about. I'll keep my options open, but right now I really want to focus on my training to be a better kunoichi so I can stand toe-to-toe with Choji and Shikamaru." Ino replied.

Sakura nods as she goes back to watching the sunset.

'Wherever you are Naruto-kun, I hope your safe. When you return in two years with that old pervert, I'll be ready to stand by your side. Not only as your friend this time, but hopefully as the woman you have always believed I could turn into.' Sakura thought to herself, as a smile began to form on her beautiful face.

XXXX

Meanwhile in a distant village somewhere in Lightning Country, a certain blonde knucklehead let out a loud sneeze.

"You alright brat?" His perverted sensei asked.

"I'm fine Ero-Sennin. Just had this weird feeling that someone was thinking or talking about me." The blonde jinchuuriki responded.

"Alright, just try to keep it down. I'm trying to gather research for my next book." Jiraiya said.

"Uh, Ero-Sennin. I think it might be too late for that." Naruto said, pointing to a group of seething women that had appeared behind them.

Both the jinchuuriki and his perverted sensei ran for dear life. As they struggled to maintain a comfortable distance between themselves and the pack of angry women chasing after them, Naruto swore that he would never allow himself to be caught around his master ever again when he was conducting his research. That is when a devious thought came into Naruto's mind. 'Oh I'm going to make you pay for this Ero-Sennin. If I don't, then I'll sure as heck let Baa-Chan and Sakura-Chan do the honors when we return to the village in two-years time. Kami knows how much they both despise perverts and the last thing I want to do is be on Sakura-Chan's bad side.'

End Chapter 4

Alright guys, that's all I have for now. Hope you all enjoyed the banter between Sakura & Ino. Thought I would also include the bit about Jiraiya and Naruto at the end to add a little humor to the story for a change. The next chapter will be Naruto's return, so keep your eyes peeled for when that comes out. See ya next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! I'm back with the next chapter of It's Better to Share the Pain. I was hoping to get this out sooner, but have been feeling under the weather the past week. Instead of posting a lengthy Author's Note at the beginning as I generally have before, let's get right into the story. I hope you guys enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 5

(3 Years Later…)

Much had changed in Konohagakure since the Sand-Sound invasion three years ago. The village had flourished under the leadership of the Godaime Hokage. Not only had the village grown by leaps and bounds, but parts of the village that had been damaged during the invasion were now repaired thanks to aid provided by Sunagakure and the Land of Wave. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity.

In the Haruno residence, a now sixteen-year-old Sakura Haruno had just begun to wake up for the day. As her jade eyes fluttered open, Sakura was met with the warmth of the sunlight flowing in through her bedroom curtains. Lifting the covers off, Sakura took a moment to stretch before getting up to do her morning routine. She went into the bathroom to shower. Once she was out, Sakura dried herself off and wrapped a towel around her body. She stopped to admire herself in front of the mirror for a moment.

Puberty had started to kick in around the age of 14 for Sakura. Over the last few years, she had shot up quite a bit, now standing at a height of 5 feet & 3 inches tall. Her muscles were far more toned than when she first began training with the Godaime, but her skin still maintained the same creamy complexion. Sakura had also decided to keep her hair at a shoulder-length, remembering that her crush had once stated how much he liked it that way. Perhaps what Sakura was proudest of though was the fact that her chest had finally begun to fill in. Despite not being blessed with the huge pair that the busty Hokage had, she wasn't one to complain. Sakura could finally take solace in knowing that her rival Ino could no longer call her flat as a board whenever they went to the hot springs together.

Prior to getting dressed, Sakura sat down on the end of her bed and ran a hairbrush through her pink locks of hair. Moving over to her closet, Sakura pulled out her new outfit that had come at the recommendation of the Godaime. Gone were the days of her red qipao battle dress that she had donned when she was a Genin. In its place was a red sleeveless vest with the Haruno symbol on the back. She also wore a pair of black biker shorts that ran just nigh of her knees, with a pink medic apron over them. On either arm was a pair of sashes, sharing the same color as her apron. Her blue shinobi sandals had been swapped out for a pair of knee-length black combat boots. To complete her look, Sakura's hitai-ate was now a red color instead of the blue one that she had worn as a Genin. She still wore it as a headband with the metal piece facing up towards the sky.

Satisfied with her appearance, Sakura went downstairs to eat a quick breakfast before taking off to begin her work for the day at the Konoha Hospital.

XXXX

After a light workload at the Hospital, Sakura was now on her way to the Hokage Mansion to meet with her master. Part of her training as required by the Godaime was to work at the hospital five days every week to gain hands-on experience. While being book smart was something that Sakura had always taken pride in from a very young age, her master had stated on more than one occasion that there are some lessons that a medical textbook can never teach, they need to be learned by experiencing first-hand. Among the tasks, Sakura had to perform on a daily basis were healing wounds & injuries, assisting in surgeries and the occasional case of extracting poison from different parts of the body. Though the process of becoming a medic-nin had been long and arduous, Sakura hadn't given up no matter how hard the challenge in front of her may be.

As she continued to make her way to see the Godaime, Sakura could be heard happily humming to herself, walking with a spring in her step. The reason she was in a good mood couldn't be attributed to the light workday she just had. Ever since waking up this morning, Sakura had felt that something very good was going to happen today. She didn't know what it was that had caused this sudden feeling of happiness to creep up on her as it had, but Sakura just shrugged it off and figured it was nothing worth worrying about.

Finally reaching the door to her master's office, Sakura gave a gentle rap on the door a few times until she heard a voice calling from the other side for her to come in.

As Sakura opened the door, she found her master hard at work trying to whittle away at the never-ending stacks of paperwork that Shizune seemed to have dumped on her desk.

"Good afternoon Shishou." Sakura greeted in a cheery tone.

"Good afternoon to you as well Sakura. You seem to be in a very good mood today." Tsunade replied.

"Hai. There weren't very many patients at the hospital today. Plus, when I woke up this morning, I just felt very bubbly and happy for some reason." Sakura said.

"I wish the same could be said for me with all this blasted paperwork. Sometimes I wonder how the Sandaime did it and still managed to get out to socialize with the villagers every day. Enough of my rambling though. I don't have much work for you to do here either. The only thing that needs to be done is collecting is this morning's traffic ledger from the front gate. Could you please pick it up for me Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"Hai. I will be back as quickly as I can." Sakura replied.

After Sakura had left the office, Tsunade found herself interrupted once again. This time, however, it was a green messenger toad.

"Forgive the intrusion Lady Tsunade, but Master Jiraiya sent me ahead to let you know that he will be returning to the village with Naruto anytime now." The messenger toad said.

"Thank you. You may go." Tsunade said.

The frog nodded and disappeared in a small poof of smoke. Tsunade herself had begun to smirk a bit. 'So the blonde knucklehead is finally coming back. I think this is really going to make Sakura's day.' The busty Hokage thought.

XXXX

"Good afternoon Izumo, Kotetsu. Shishou sent me to pick up this morning's traffic log." Sakura said politely as she greeted the two guards at the gate.

"Hey, Sakura. You just missed it." Izumo said.

"Yeah. If you head back into the village right now, you're almost certain to see a couple of familiar faces. You gotta see it to _believe it_." Kotetsu chimed in.

'Why did Kotetsu just put such a huge emphasis on the words believe it? Wait! Could it be?' Sakura thought as the realization finally hit her.

Quickly grabbing the morning traffic ledger, Sakura broke out into a sprint while pumping as much chakra into her legs as she possibly could. While she outwardly appeared to have a serious demeanor on her face, Sakura was bursting with happiness inside. 'Naruto is back! After three long years of waiting, I can finally tell him how I feel.' Sakura cheered in her mind, as she raced back into the village to find her favorite blonde knucklehead.

XXXX

Meanwhile back in the village, the blonde jinchuriki in question had just set his backpack down and was already sprinting up a nearby telephone pole to get a good view of the scenery.

"We've only been for five minutes and he's already bursting at the seams with all that pent up energy. Still as hyperactive as ever." Jiraiya said whilst chuckling.

Upon reaching the top of the telephone pole, Naruto stood there for a moment as he took in the sights, sounds and smells of Konoha.

'The village hasn't changed a bit. Well maybe except for the fact that Granny Tsunade's face was finally added to the Hokage Monument. Oh well. Time to make my presence as the Leaf's Number One Most Unpredictable Ninja known.' Naruto thought.

"Naruto Uzumaki has returned to the Hidden Leaf village!" Naruto shouted while pumping a fist in the air.

As he breathed in the warm and crisp air once more, Naruto found himself being pulled out of thought when he heard a female voice call out. "Naruto? Naruto is that you?"

Naruto looked down at the street to see his favorite pinkette standing next to Jiraiya.

"When did you get back to the village Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! I just got back a few minutes ago" Naruto said as he jumped off the telephone pole, landing on the ground with a thud.

"Long time no see, huh Sakura?" Naruto said.

No sooner than he had begun to walk towards her, Sakura quickly lunged at Naruto and embraced him in a tight hug. She then whispered in his ear. "I missed you so much Naruto."

This caught Naruto by surprise. He remembered becoming really close with Sakura before he left, almost to the point where they had been inseparable, but he hadn't expected this.

Still standing there like an idiot, Naruto finally wrapped his arms around Sakura to reciprocate the hug. "I've missed you too Sakura-chan." He replied.

As she let go of the embrace, Sakura couldn't help but stare at Naruto in awe. He had changed quite a bit. Not only was he taller now, but he also had filled out quite a bit. Gone was the hideous orange jumpsuit he had once worn. In its place were a pair of orange pants with an orange and black jacket. Though he had changed quite a bit physically and seemed more mature, Sakura hoped that a part of the goofball she had fallen in love with was still in there.

Unsure if Naruto still held feelings for her, Sakura decided it might be best to test the waters by flirting with him a bit. She brought a finger up to her cheek, with a light hue of pink appearing across her face. "So Naruto, what do you think? Do I look more womanly now?" She asked in a cute tone.

For the second time in just minutes, Naruto had found himself caught off guard yet again. He had never expected Sakura to ask such a straightforward question. Knowing Sakura's temper, Naruto took a moment to look her over from head-to-toe. He didn't want to say something that might offend her.

Watching as her crush took some time to appreciate her changed appearance, Sakura blushed.

Back in Naruto's mind, he didn't know what to say. He felt that words couldn't even begin to describe the pink-haired angel that stood before him. She was beautiful. Naruto decided to be honest with her, hoping and praying that she wouldn't beat him to a bloody pulp afterward.

"You look great Sakura. Don't get me wrong, I always thought you were pretty before. Now you look more beautiful than ever. I'm glad you kept your hair short, by the way, it looks good on you." Naruto said.

Sakura felt her cheeks becoming warm again, this time a bright shade of red appeared. "Thank you, Naruto. You're very sweet. I think you look quite handsome yourself." She replied shyly.

"Uh thanks, Sakura-chan. Are you okay though? Your face is all red. Do you have a fever?" Naruto asked, clearly confused with why Sakura was behaving in such a manner.

'Typical Naruto. He's still as dense as ever. It's nice to know at least a small part of the old him is still in there though.' Sakura thought while giggling to herself.

"I appreciate the concern Naruto, but I'm fine. Don't forget I've been training under Lady Tsunade as a medic-nin. I'd be able to tell if I was sick or not." Sakura replied, giving Naruto a warm smile.

Naruto was a bit surprised. In the past, Sakura wouldn't have hesitated to punch him for making such a remark. 'Sakura-chan sure has changed. Now that I think about it, she seems to be a lot nicer to me than I remember too. I know we were close before I left, but this isn't how I remember Sakura behaving. Just what the heck is going?' He thought to himself.

Behind Naruto, Jiraiya was watching the exchange between the two teammates take place. Noticing Sakura's behavior, the old pervert could tell she had finally come to her senses about her feelings for the blonde jinchuriki. What surprised him more though was the fact that Naruto hadn't said something stupid to make Sakura angry. 'So Sakura finally fell for the brat. If only he wasn't so stupid he would notice it. Oh well, at least he did learn how to compliment a woman correctly while on our trip.'

While the two teammates continued to converse with one another, they found themselves interrupted by a loud racket coming from the nearby alley. Much to their surprise, the source of the noise had turned out to be Moegi and Udon.

As the two young Genin took notice of the familiar orange-clad ninja in front of them, they began to burst with excitement. "Boss! We're so happy to see you back." Moegi and Udon sang in perfect harmony.

"Hey, guys. It's great to see you too. You both have grown quite a bit since I last saw you two. Not to mention you're both Genin. I'm proud of you." Naruto said.

"Thanks, boss." The two Genin replied.

"If you two are here, that must mean my younger rival is nearby as well. Where's Konohamaru?" Naruto inquired.

As if on cue, Konohamaru came stumbling out of the alley with Tora the Hellcat struggling to break free from his arms. Upon seeing that his big brother figure had returned, Konohamaru eyes lit up. He quickly tossed the cat to Udon and crossed his fingers to make a hand sign for a jutsu that Naruto was all too familiar with. It was something that he had hoped Konohamaru would have used in the correct situation, not when he was around his pink-haired teammate.

"Hey, Boss! Check this out!" Konohamaru yelled.

Vanishing momentarily into a poof of smoke, Konohamaru reappeared in a sexy jutsu transformation.

A nosebleed quickly formed from Jiraiya. Sakura, on the other hand, was feeling a mixture of disgust and anger. She began to clench her fists, wanting nothing more than to grab Konohamaru by his scarf and send him flying across the village with a chakra enhanced punch. She was spared the gruesome public display when she saw Moegi take action instead.

"How many times have I told you not to use that pervy ninjutsu in front of a lady you baka?" Moegi spat angrily.

As he watched Konohamaru go barreling into a nearby fence from Moegi's punch, Naruto decided to give his two cents as well. The last thing he wanted to right now was to get on Sakura's bad side.

"Knock it off would ya Konohamaru. We're not little kids anymore. You are a shinobi just like me, so why don't you start acting like one. Nobody will ever take you seriously if you keep using jutsu like that." Naruto said.

Feeling disappointed, Konohamaru lowered his head in shame with a small frown appearing on his face. 'I can't believe the boss grew up.' He sulked in his mind.

Sakura meanwhile was, giving Naruto a good once-over yet again. 'Well, it seems not just the outside has changed. He really has matured. I do admit that I miss the old Naruto a little bit, but he has turned out pretty well.' She thought.

"While I hate to ruin this little reunion, we still need to report to the Hokage for a debrief Naruto." Jiraiya barged in.

Naruto nodded in response. "Right. It was great to see you again Moegi and Udon. As for you Konohamaru, take what Moegi said into consideration. You don't want girls like her or Sakura-chan to punch the living daylights out of you like that again right?" Naruto asked his little protege, causing Konohamaru to begin sweating profusely.

Recalling the last time he had made Sakura angry when insinuating that she was Naruto's girlfriend, Konohamaru didn't hesitate to shake his head in agreement. Though he still considered her to be a pink-haired banshee with a temper of the devil, Konohamaru knew that Naruto had the hots for Sakura at one time. He didn't want to chance ruining things for his 'big-brother' if that was still the case.

"Hey Naruto, do you mind if I tag along with you and Jiraiya-sama? I need to bring today's traffic report to Tsunade-shishou anyhow." Sakura said.

"Sure Sakura-chan. Is that okay with you Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you, stop calling me that." Jiraiya shot back.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd stop being such a damn little pervert." Naruto retorted.

"For the last time, I'm not a little pervert. I'm a super pervert!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"Whatever you say Pervy Sage. Now is it okay if Sakura-chan comes with us or not?" Naruto asked once again.

"I don't see why not. Besides, the sooner we get this debrief out of the way, the sooner I can get on to other activities." Jiraiya replied, letting out a small pervish giggle that Naruto was all too familiar with.

"You better hope for your sake Pervy Sage that one of those other '_activities_' doesn't involve peeking at the bathhouses again. Or need I remind you of what happened last time I caught you doing that?"

"You wouldn't dare," Jiraiya replied as he began to sweat.

"Don't push your luck Pervy Sage. After what happened in Lightning Country, when you had a pack of angry women chasing after us, I had every right to punish you for being the pervert that you are. Now that we're back in the Leaf, however, I could always let Granny deal with your immature behavior instead." Naruto said as an evil grin formed on his face.

Upon hearing Naruto mention his former teammate, Jiraiya went from panicking to immediately fearing for his life.

"Besides, I don't think she'd be very happy to learn that you were more interested in gathering research for your next smut book at times then you were supposed to be helping me train. Maybe I should tell Granny of your latest exploits, just so I can get the satisfaction of watching her knock some sense into that perverted mind of yours." Naruto said.

Sakura couldn't contain her laughter as she watched the bickering ensue between Naruto and his master.

Fearing what Tsunade might do if Naruto ratted him out, Jiraiya finally hung his head in defeat. "Let's get going you two. The less time I have to spend around Tsunade, the less likely she is to put me in the doghouse for a month or more." Jiraiya said.

XXXX

The Godaime Hokage was still sitting in her chair, just as she had been before Sakura left. She scowled as she continued to try and make a dent in her never-ending paperwork. 'I could really use a good distraction right now to get my mind off of this bothersome chore.'

Interrupting her train of thought, Tsunade heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," Tsunade shouted.

"Pardon the interruption Shishou, but I have returned with today's traffic report from the front gate just as you had requested," Sakura replied.

"Thank you, Sakura. You're dismissed for the day." Tsunade said.

"Actually Shishou, I was hoping to stick around for a bit. On my way back, I ran into a few people you might want to see." Sakura said.

Though she had a feeling that she knew who the two esteemed guests were, Tsunade decided to play along with her apprentice's little charade. "Really? And who might these individuals be?"

"Let's just say that it's a surprise," Sakura replied.

"A surprise you say? Well, don't keep me waiting Sakura. I'm not getting any younger just sitting here." Tsunade said.

"Hai," Sakura said as she walked back to the door. "You guys can come in now."

As the door opened, Tsunade's eyes lit up. She swiftly walked around the desk and embraced Naruto in a warm hug. "It's good to see you brat. I missed you."

"I missed you too Granny, but can you please ease up on your grip a little? I can barely breathe." Naruto managed to choke out.

"Sorry about that. Seems like you've really grown though. Guess I can't call you a shrimp anymore. I can only hope that you've matured a bit too and not ended up like your perverted sensei." Tsunade said.

"Don't worry Shishou, I can attest to the fact that Naruto has changed. Not only did he give Master Jiraiya a hard time about his research, but he also told Konohamaru to lay off on the pervy ninjutsu that he had once taught his little protege years ago. Our little Naruto really has grown up." Sakura said.

"Oh come on Sakura-chan not you too," Naruto pouted.

Sakura giggled at his response. "Don't worry Naruto, I was just teasing you."

"You're so mean Sakura-chan," Naruto whined.

Sakura replied by sticking her tongue out playfully at Naruto.

"Ahem," Tsunade said while clearing her throat. "Now if you two are done fooling around, can we move on to why you're both here?"

"Hai Granny/m'lady." The two teammates replied.

"Good. While I know you just got back to the village Naruto, I would like to see your skills in action. Hopefully, the old pervert focused more on your training than doing 'research' for his stupid smut books." Tsunade said.

"Sure Granny. Pervy Sage did a pretty good job preparing me for what I could expect from the Akatsuki. As Sakura-chan was kind enough to point out, however, I caught him conducting his research on more than one occasion. There were numerous occasions where Pervy Sage was trying to peep on women with his telescope at various bathhouses and swimming areas during our trip. You can rest easy though. I made sure Pervy Sage was punished accordingly. I consider it fair after he not only stole my money but also got me caught when he was peeping on women when we were staying somewhere in Lightning Country." Naruto responded.

"Is that so?" Tsunade said as she angry gaze met that of Jiraiya. "You and I will be having a long discussion about your 'research' after Naruto's evaluation test is finished."

Jiraiya's eyes widened in fear. 'Dammit, brat. Why couldn't you just keep your damn mouth shut.' Jiraiya cursed to himself.

Feeling satisfied in his efforts to punish and embarrass his sensei, Naruto figured it might be best to get back to the matter at hand. "Speaking of the test Granny, you still haven't told me who my opponent is going to be."

"He's out there," Tsunade said, gesturing for Naruto to go open the window.

As Naruto poked his head outside, he found the individual sitting on the roof of the mansion to be none other than his Jounin sensei, Kakashi Hatake.

"Yo!" Kakashi said while giving a lazy wave.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed.

"You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you Naruto. Nevertheless, it's good to see you again." Kakashi said.

"It's good to see you too Sensei. Oh, before I forget. I've got a present for you." Naruto said.

Rummaging through his backpack, Naruto pulled out an advanced copy of Jiraiya's upcoming book. "Pervy Sage gave me this, but I have no interest in reading smut. Figured I would give it to you instead seeing I know how much you like this stuff."

Trying to keep a cool and calm facade, Kakashi graciously accepted the gift from his student. "Thanks, Naruto. It's a very thoughtful gesture."

"If you two are done, could you come back inside? I would like to get this test finished so I can deal with Jiraiya." Tsunade boomed from inside her office.

"Alright, now that everyone is reacquainted with one another, I wanted to mention that Sakura will be taking the test with you Naruto. She's been training under me for the past few years and I would like to see how much she has improved as well." Tsunade said.

"Awesome. I can't wait to see how strong you've gotten Sakura-chan." Naruto said as he turned to Sakura and gave her one of his trademark smiles, causing Sakura to blush upon hearing his praise.

Tsunade took notice of this, smirking to herself while thinking. 'Well, it looks like Sakura took my advice. She finally grew a backbone and is showing her feelings for the brat.'

"Kakashi, I expect you to be at training ground seven in one hour. And that doesn't mean arriving three hours from now. If you are even one second late, I will personally make sure that your favorite author won't be in any condition to publish another book for some time." Tsunade threatened.

'She wouldn't dare.' Kakashi thought to himself. However, he quickly changed his tune, knowing that Tsunade was not a woman to be trifled with when she was angry.

"Sounds good. I'll see you two then." Kakashi said before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Sakura then turned to Naruto. "Hey, Naruto. How about we take a walk around the village? I'm sure you've been wanting to see how much has changed since you left. Plus it might be a good opportunity for us to come up with a strategy to beat Kakashi-sensei." Sakura suggested.

"Sure Sakura-chan. Let's go." Naruto replied.

Once the two teammates had exited the room, Jiraiya looked at Tsunade. "Could Sakura have been any more obvious just now? She's been practically dropping hints left and right since we got back to let Naruto know that she has feelings for him. Every one of them flew over his oblivious head."

"I wouldn't worry too much you old perv. Sakura will tell the idiot one way or another, even if she has to beat it into him." Tsunade said.

"I hope you're right," Jiraiya replied.

XXXX

"So you're a Chunin now Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Hai. I took the exam with Ino and Choji along with the rest of the Rookie Nine while you were gone. Neji and Shikamaru made Jounin as well." Sakura replied.

"Wow. That's awesome! Congratulations! Guess that means I'm the only one of our class left as a Genin." Naruto said, now feeling somewhat deflated.

"Hey don't feel bad Naruto, I'm sure you'll make Chunin one day. After all, it's still your dream to become Hokage isn't it?" Sakura asked in an effort to cheer her friend up.

"You bet! The next face on that monument is going to be mine!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Now there's the Naruto I remember," Sakura said, before noticing a pair of familiar faces walking in their direction.

"Oh speak of the devil. Hey Shikamaru, Temari! Look what the cat dragged in." Sakura said as she pointed to Naruto while trying to call their two friends over.

"Hey, Sakura. Who's the blonde?" Shikamaru asked.

"It's nice to see you too you lazy bum," Naruto replied sarcastically.

'Wait a sec. There's only one person I know who would be wearing orange clothing like that.' Shikamaru thought.

"Is that you Naruto? It's good to see you, man. You've really grown, though I see you are still wearing orange. At least it doesn't look as bad as that hideous jumpsuit you had when we were younger." Shikamaru said.

"Good to see you too Shikamaru. You as well Temari. So are you two on a date right now? Naruto asked.

"Nah. Just escorting this troublesome woman around. We're working on the next Chunin exam together. It's a drag." Shikamaru replied lazily.

"You're one to talk. It's a wonder I can get you to do anything considering you'd rather be staring at clouds all day." Temari shot back.

"Tch. Anyway, you thinking of entering the next Chunin exam Naruto? I'm sure Sakura already filled you in about being the last Genin of our graduating class that has yet to be promoted." Shikamaru said.

"You don't need to rub it in y'know. I just got back from my training trip a little while ago, so I haven't really been able to give it much thought. Besides, I've got an evaluation test that Granny Tsunade wants me to take with Sakura-chan in half an hour. We're going up against Kakashi-sensei." Naruto responded.

"Well, you might want to give it some thought Naruto because Gaara is the Godaime Kazekage now," Temari spoke up.

"WHAT!" Naruto shouts.

"Yeah. After our father's death at the hands of Orochimaru, the village was left without a leader. Gaara stepped up to the plate saying that he wanted to be like the person who made him realize what is important to him and protect the people he cares about." Temari said.

"I see. Well, I'm glad Gaara is doing so well. Please give both him and Kankuro my regards next time you see them." Naruto said.

"You bet," Temari responded.

"As much as I hate to cut this short guys, but we need to get going. Temari and I were planning on grabbing a bite to eat before she leaves." Shikamaru said.

"Okay. Well, have fun on your date, lovebirds." Naruto teased.

Temari was about to give Naruto an earful for that remark but stopped when she noticed the glum look on Sakura's face. She too knew what it felt like to have feelings for someone, only for the person of their affection to not understand and reciprocate them. 'If only you weren't so stupid Naruto, you'd see that Sakura feels the same way about you that I do with Shikamaru. Men are such clueless idiots.'

As the friends bid their goodbyes to each other, Sakura turned her attention back to Naruto once again. Though she was feeling a combination of both sadness and frustration due to Naruto's obliviousness, she wasn't going to let that stop her from telling him how she felt. For the time being, however, she needed to make sure that they were both focused on their test with Kakashi. Personal feelings would have to be put on the back burner until later. "Well, that was interesting. So how about we talk strategy? We're gonna need to have a good plan ready if we're gonna take Kakashi-sensei down this time." Sakura said.

"Already ahead of you on that one Sakura-chan. I had Kakashi-sensei's weakness pinned from the moment I gave him Pervy Sage's new book." Naruto replied.

"Care to explain?" Sakura asked.

"While it is true that I gave it Kakashi-sensei that book as a gift, I also figured that he would start reading to pass the time before we actually have to be at the training ground," Naruto replied.

"So other words, you set Kakashi-sensei up from the beginning?" Sakura inquired.

"Not intentionally, but I surmised that he will probably be using his Sharingan this time to see how much we've improved. While it does grant Kakashi-sensei the ability to copy other jutsus, the fatal flaw in the Sharingan also allows him to read lips. If he is reading the new book like I'm thinking he is, Sensei will have no choice but to close his eyes if he wants to avoid 'spoiling' the ending to his precious Icha Icha Tactics book." Naruto elaborated.

Sakura was nothing short of amazed. She couldn't believe that Naruto had devised a plan this far in advance. "Naruto that's brilliant! Are you really the same knucklehead I knew before you left three years ago?" Sakura asked.

"Give me some credit Sakura-Chan. Like I said to Konohamaru earlier, I'm not the same obnoxious little kid anymore. That doesn't mean that I don't like to have fun every now and then. I guess my interests have changed a bit. The one thing that hasn't is spending time in the company of a good friend such as yourself." Naruto replied.

'If only you could take a hint that I wanted to be more than friends Naruto. Guess Ino was right. I'll have to find a way to spell it out to you once this test is over.' Sakura thought to herself. She was pulled back to reality as she saw a hand waving up and down in front of her face.

"You okay Sakura-chan? You looked like you were zoned out for a moment." Naruto stated.

"Of course! I'm just glad to have you back, that's all." Sakura quickly recovered.

"Well, it's good to be back Sakura-chan. Now come on, we've got a test to complete." Naruto said, racing off in the direction of Team Seven's training ground.

"Naruto, wait up," Sakura yelled but knew it was pointless to try and stop him. "Oh for heaven's sake, I guess some things never change," Sakura muttered to herself before chasing off after her friend.

End Chapter 5

Alright, folks! I hope you guys enjoyed. This is probably the longest chapter I have ever written before. The next chapter will be the second bell test. I hope to have that done before the month's over if possible. Before I go, I'd like to thank everyone for their continued support of this story! Please leave a review to let me know what you guys think. That is the best way to help me improve this story and make it enjoyable for new or returning readers alike. See you all next time!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey guys! As promised, here's the newest chapter. Before we get into reading, I want to preface it by saying that I'm not good at fight scenes. Hopefully, it will appease those of you who have been waiting for action and fight scenes. This is my take on the bell test, but I am trying to give it my own twist. Sakura's affinity will also be revealed in this chapter, which was chosen by readers in the poll I had on my profile last week. I hope you guys enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 6

It was already late afternoon in Konoha. Activity had begun to slowly wind down for the day, with villagers and ninja returning home to enjoy a meal with their families before inevitably turning in for the night.

In a peaceful part of the village however, the tranquility was quick to dissipate as the voice of a young woman yelled 'Shannaro!' followed by the cry of a young man bellowing in pain.

The source of the racket had been Naruto and Sakura. Naruto was still sprinting towards Training Ground 7, while Sakura was not too far behind, desperately trying to catch up to the hyperactive blonde. Just as she had earlier when running off in search of her crush upon hearing that he had returned, Sakura once again was forced to pump some chakra into her legs to keep up with him.

When she finally had caught up to her idiot teammate, Sakura whacked him upside the head, causing him to fall back flat on his arse.

"Ow! What the heck did you do that for Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, rubbing the spot where she had just hit him.

"Baka!" Sakura scolded. "I called your name out at least three times or more while trying to chase you down. Didn't you hear me?"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. I'm just so excited about our test against Kakashi-sensei. I want him to see how strong I've gotten while I was on that trip with Pervy Sage."

"Don't you mean how much stronger we've both gotten? It's not just you who's taking this test, ya know." Sakura stated.

"Oops. It must've slipped my mind. I'm sorry Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to do something to make you angry." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's alright. I'm not mad Naruto at you Naruto, just please slow down a bit next time. Not everyone has all that expendable energy at our disposal as you do." Sakura replied, giving Naruto a small smile, which he returned with his own toothy grin.

'How could I stay mad if him with the goofy look on his face? If Shishou wasn't making us do this evaluation right now, I wouldn't hesitate to pounce the oblivious idiot right now and starting kissing him.' Sakura thought to herself.

**'_Oh yeah,' Inner Sakura drooled. 'Why not take things a step further and make one of those fantasies we've been having a reality in bed tonight.'_**

'Shut up Inner. I'm going to tell Naruto how I feel after this is over, but I want to take things slow with him to start. That's if he says yes though.' Sakura mumbled, still feeling a bit unconfident about Naruto's feelings towards her.

**'_Would you stop moping around? Didn't you hear what that blonde hunk said to us earlier when you asked what he thought of our new look? He said we're beautiful! That means we have a pretty good chance of making him ours before anyone else does. Or do you want Hinata to stake her claim first?' Inner teased._**

Sakura's face began to turn bright red in embarrassment. There was no way she was going to let any other girl stake a claim to _her man_.

'Of course not. Hinata probably wouldn't even be able to get one word out before fainting if she saw what Naruto looks like now. Besides, he's mine!' Sakura shouted in her mind.

_**'That a girl! Get this test over with and make the blonde idiot yours. For now, though, you better get both yourself and Naruto refocused on your evaluation test with Kakashi. ' Inner replied. 'And one more thing, make sure you tell that baka to wait and take your sensei on together. Lord knows that he'd probably charge in head-first like he did the first time.'**_

'Got it! Thanks for the pep talk Inner.' Sakura said.

Coming back to reality, Sakura noticed that Naruto was still lying on the ground. She offered a hand to help him back up and waited so he could dust himself off before the two continued on to the training grounds.

"So considering that we're supposed to be spending this time to preparing for our test, why don't you tell me a little bit about what you learned while you were gone with Master Jiraiya. He did train you, right? Because the way you were talking about him earlier, it sounded like that old pervert was more interested in peeping for his research." Sakura said.

"Of course he did. As much as I love to give Pervy Sage a hard time about his smut books, he trained me just as he said he would." Naruto replied.

"Well, that's a relief. So what did 'Pervy Sage' teach you?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Pervy Sage wanted to focus on my improving my chakra control first and foremost. He said that Lord Fourth used the Eight Trigrams seal to contain the Kyuubi, which over time allows the fox's chakra to mix with my own. It's kind of a two-edged sword because while I do have access to a much bigger reserve of chakra, there's also a big risk when using it too much due to my heart being linked with the Nine-Tails. I can handle up to three-tails of its chakra at the moment. Anything beyond that though and I lose control."

That last point made Sakura very concerned. She had just gotten her crush back. Losing one teammate was hard enough, but the thought of losing the boy she loved was already pulling at the strings of her fragile heart.

"Have you ever tried talking or communicating with the Nine-Tails in some way?" Sakura asked nervously.

"A little bit. I've only the Nine-Tails a few times, as he's kept in a cage at the center of this weird system of tunnels, with several different doors. I thought it was almost like an underground sewer, but Pervy Sage told me it's my subconscious." Naruto said, pausing to let out a deep sigh before continuing. "Anyway, I managed to coerce the fox into talking to me here and there. We have a mutual understanding where he gives me additional chakra if the situation I'm in warrants it and he also helps me sense chakra. The only real thing I've learned about him is that he's a stubborn and grumpy bastard."

"**Love you too brat.' The Nine-Tails grumbled from his cage in Naruto's subconscious. **

"I see. Did you learn any cool new jutsus or what chakra affinity is?

"Hai. Pervy Sage had me do the chakra exercise with that special piece of paper. My affinity is Wind, which I guess is pretty rare. After that, Pervy Sage gave me some scrolls and taught me some Wind techniques. What about you? I can see that Granny did a good job helping you grow stronger physically based on how toned your muscles are. Did you learn anything interesting from her?" Naruto asked.

Blushing a bit from Naruto's compliment, Sakura gave him a small nod before going on to explain what the Godaime had taught her,"Yeah. Lady Tsunade is a really good teacher. I've been studying hard to learn medical-ninjutsu, but she also worked with me on my taijutsu and how to apply my chakra control to build and release it at just the right time."

"That's awesome! Did you find out your chakra affinity too?" Naruto inquired.

"Yeah. Shishou did the same chakra exercise with me too. Turns out my affinity is Water, which worked out pretty well considering Shishou was taught some Water Style techniques by her uncle, the Nidaime." Sakura replied.

"You're amazing Sakura-chan," Naruto said, causing the pinkette to blush again.

"In fact, being skilled with Water Style might come in handy. Pervy Sage once told me that though the Yondaime had invented the Rasengan, he never actually completed. He went on further to explain that the Fourth was planning on infusing other chakras natures with it. It might be pretty cool to try and create a combination with you using one of your Water Style jutsus." Naruto explained.

Sakura nodded, before saying what Inner had reminded her to mention during their little chitchat a few moments ago. "Oh, before I forget to mention this Naruto. When the test begins, do not rush Kakashi-sensei head-on. Be patient and we'll take him on together. We need to get in the groove again if we're gonna be working together like the old days."

"Gotcha. I think any plans we come up with should be devised on the fly. That's the best way to keep sensei on his toes considering he has more experience in the field that either of us put together." Naruto replied.

"Right. An unpredictable enemy is one that keeps you guessing. If all else fails though, we can always use that weakness you pointed out earlier. Should Kakashi-sensei use that Sharingan of his like you were suspecting he might, it's game over for him." Sakura said.

"We probably oughta get moving," Naruto stated.

"Let's do this!" Sakura exclaimed.

XXXX

As the two teammates made their way to Training Ground 7, they were surprised to find that Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraiya, and Kakashi were already there waiting for them.

"Nice to see you're actually on time for once sensei." Sakura began.

"Yeah, at least for once you can't use one of those lame excuses." Naruto teased.

"That's enough you two. Now that everyone is here, I think we can get this show on the road. Have you decided how you'd like to assess their skills Kakashi?" The busty Hokage asked.

"Yes, ma'am. When Naruto and Sakura were Genin, I conducted the bell test to evaluate their teamwork together. I'd like to use the same test again, but this time I want to see how much they've improved individually and if their teamwork is as good as it was three years ago. In addition, I've decided to spice things up a bit with a friendly wager." Kakashi replied.

Tsunade arched an eyebrow, now genuinely intrigued. "Go on."

Kakashi pulls a little orange book out of his back pocket and holds it up for everyone to see. "My student's goal will be to take my old Icha Icha Paradise book away from me. As for the wager, here's what I am proposing. If Sakura and Naruto manage to successfully grab this book before sunrise, I promise that I will show up to our first team meeting on time tomorrow."

This caused Naruto and Sakura to snicker a bit because they found it hard to believe that their sensei would actually show up on time, even if they won the bet.

"What did I just say to you guys a moment ago? Save your jokes for after the exam." Tsunade said, getting the two teenagers to pipe down. "Please continue Kakashi."

"Should they fail, however, the punishment will be doing D-rank missions for a week," Kakashi said, causing the two teammates to begin sweating.

"Interesting wager. You may begin when ready." Tsunade finished, as she strode over to a nearby treeline with Jiraiya and Shizune to spectate the coming fight.

Kakashi turns to look at his students. "You two remember the rules from last time. I don't care how you do it, just take this book away from me. You may use weapons and methods at your disposal. And remember…." He began.

"If we don't come at you with the intent to kill…." Naruto said.

"….We won't get the book." Sakura finished.

Kakashi closes the Icha Icha Tactics book that Naruto gave him, places it in his weapon's pouch and lifts his hitai-ate up to reveal the Sharingan.

'Looks like Naruto's suspicion was right.' Sakura thought as she shot Naruto a knowing grin.

Naruto responded by giving her an evil smirk of his own.

Little did either of them know that their exchange of facial expressions hadn't gone unnoticed by Kakashi. 'Those two definitely have something planned. Whatever it is, I don't like it. Either way, I better be careful.' The Copycat Ninja thought to himself.

"Alright! The test begins… now!" Kakashi exclaimed before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

XXXX

The sun had begun to go down. Since their sensei had pulled his infamous disappearing act, Naruto and Sakura were still trying to figure out where he could have gone.

"Naruto, can you detect Kakashi-sensei's chakra anywhere nearby?" Sakura asked her teammate.

"Yeah, one sec," Naruto replied, slipping into his subconscious to talk with the Nine-Tails.

'Can you hear me you dumb fox?' Naruto questioned.

'**What do you want now you ungrateful brat?' The demon fox shot back.**

'My teammate and I need some help locating our sensei's chakra. Any chance you can give me a hand?' Naruto inquired.

'**Fine, but don't say I haven't done my fair share as part of our agreement.' The Kyuubi answered, as he quickly found where the silver-haired Jounin had been hiding. 'The masked pervert is underground just over there near the treeline.' **

'Thanks fox. I owe you one.' Naruto replied humbly.

'**Yeah yeah. If that's all, I'm gonna go back to sleep now.' The demon fox said. **

Snapping out of his stupor, Naruto looked over towards Sakura to report the Kyuubi's findings. "He's over by the treeline, Sakura-chan."

"Thanks, Naruto. Just leave the rest to me." Sakura said confidently, beginning to channel some chakra into her fist.

"Shannaro!" Sakura shouted, releasing the chakra that she accrued as her fist connected with the ground, causing it to split apart while kicking up a large cloud of dust.

Naruto began to feel unsteady on his feet momentarily, causing him to fall to the ground on his arse just as Sakura had done to him earlier.

As the dust began to settle, low and behold that Kakashi was sitting there amongst the debris, with his eyes wide open.

'In some ways, I'm beginning to regret making that suggestion to Sakura about training under the Godaime. Not only did she learn medical ninjutsu, but it seems Sakura has learned how to build up just enough chakra and release it at the right time utilizing her excellent chakra control.' The Copy Nin thought.

"Found you Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said whilst chuckling.

Tsunade and Shizune just smirked, while Jiraiya was hoping that his apprentice had paid attention to the powerful display of Sakura's strength.

'You better watch your step around that pink-haired firecracker Naruto. The last thing you want to do is end up like me, always on the receiving end of my former teammate's wrath.' Jiraiya thought to himself.

Thankfully, it seemed that Naruto had gotten the memo. After witnessing Sakura's strength in action, he knew that getting on her bad side now would be far more dire consequences than it did during their days as Genin. Only one thought was currently running through his mind. It was one of fear. 'I better not act like an idiot around Sakura-chan ever again, otherwise, she might kill me this time, literally.'

Having gained his bearing as he emerged from the rubble, Kakashi began to plot how he would retaliate against his students.

"You have grown quite a bit Sakura, but I'm just getting warmed up. How about we start by reviewing one of the three core pillars of Shinobi Battle Skills? Let's begin with Lesson One: Taijutsu." Kakashi said, charging head-on at Naruto with a kunai in tow to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Naruto blocked every one of his sensei's incoming attacks, deflecting them with his own kunai. While Naruto was keeping him distracted, Sakura seized on the opportunity to move in and started throwing a series of back-to-back punches.

Kakashi evaded the incoming blows until he found himself back into a corner against one of the trees on the outlying edge of the forest. When Sakura finally made contact, she was surprised to find that her sensei had escaped using the Replacement technique.

"Damnit! And just when I thought we had him." Naruto growled in frustration.

"Calm down Naruto. He is a Jonin for a reason after all. It's not like Kakashi-sensei is going to make it that easy for us to take his prized Icha Icha book. Besides, I have an idea that I think will help us get close enough to make the snatch when he least expects it." Sakura said in a reassuring tone.

"Lay it on me then," Naruto replied, his patience wearing thin already with every passing minute.

Sakura moved close to Naruto and brought a hand up to cover her mouth as she began to whisper in his ear. "If memory serves me correct, there should be a clearing just up ahead. When we get Kakashi-sensei into the open, I need you to make as many clones as you can. Think it's possible for you to do that?" Sakura asked.

"Piece of cake. Mind telling me where are you going with this plan though Sakura-chan?" Naruto inquired.

"Sure. While you begin to produce an army of clones, I will be hiding in a nearby tree and conceal my chakra. As the clones begin to surround Kakashi-sensei, my plan is to disguise myself as you and blend in with the crowd. When you give the signal to attack, I'll channel some chakra into my hand and try to deliver the knockout blow. This gives us the element of surprise while catching him off-guard at the same time." Sakura replied.

"Alright. Let's do it." Naruto said.

Sakura gave Naruto a quick nod and disappeared into the woods.

Naruto waited a few minutes to give her a head start before making his way into the densely populated forest in search of the masked pervert.

When he reached the clearing that Sakura had spoken of earlier, Naruto found himself to be in the middle of a trap that was laid by his sensei.

Out of nowhere, Naruto suddenly heard Kakashi shout, "Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu."

Naruto was pulled into the ground, leaving only his head showing. As Kakashi emerged, the silver-haired Jonin thought he had claimed victory of his clueless student.

"Three years of training with a Sannin and you still walk into a trap without taking the time to observe your surroundings. I'm disappointed in you Naruto." Kakashi said.

The Copycat Nin would soon regret saying those words, as Naruto disappeared into a poof of smoke.

"Do you honestly think I would fall for a dumb trick like that Kakashi-sensei? You're the one who has just walked into a trap of my own." Naruto shot back.

"Trap? But how can this be a trap when it's only you?" Kakashi asked.

"That's because you're forgetting one of my trademark jutsus," Naruto replied, as he crossed his fingers.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He shouted.

An army of hundreds began to surround Kakashi, causing the Jonin to sweatdrop a bit at his own carelessness.

Meanwhile, Sakura had been perched in a nearby tree, watching the exchange go down. When Naruto made the hand sign to produce his shadow clones, Sakura quickly used the Henge no Jutsu to disguise herself as an identical copy of her blonde teammate. She stood there in anticipation, channeling some chakra to her fist while waiting for Naruto to begin the attack.

"Time for an original move out of the Naruto Uzumaki playbook." The Narutos said in perfect unison. "Uzumaki barrage!"

Kakashi sprung into action, mounting his own defense as he unleashed a relentless barrage of punches and kicks. He was making fast work of the clones but found himself wondering where Sakura had been all this time. His answer came not long after when he took notice that a blue hue was surrounding one of the clone's hands.

Quickly evading the incoming blow, Kakashi kicked the 'clone', thus dispelling the transformation jutsu that Sakura had used.

"I'm impressed you two. Despite being away from each other for three years, your teamwork is still pretty good. In addition, I see that you are both just as cunning as ever." Kakashi said, giving them an eye smile before once again disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Good work Naruto," Sakura said while giving her friend a small smile.

"You too Sakura-chan. We better keep moving though. Don't want to give Kakashi-sensei too much of an opportunity to rest." Naruto replied.

Sakura nodded and the two teammates took off once again into the forest in their pursuit to steal their sensei's favorite book.

XXXX

Darkness had now fallen upon the Leaf. The forest of the training ground was quiet, with the exception of the occasional sounds or movement of wildlife.

Naruto and Sakura were still on the prowl, trying to locate the masked pervert they were forced to call a sensei. As the two closed in on a stream that ran through part of their training ground, Naruto took notice of a little orange book that had been conveniently placed at the base of a nearby tree.

"Sakura-chan, I think Kakashi-sensei is trying to trick us using a genjutsu," Naruto whispered in Sakura's ear.

"Nice catch Naruto. And here he was talking about us resorting to the same old tricks." The pinkette replied.

"I know. There's no way I would fall for the same tactics he used during the first bell test. Might as well play along with his little game." Naruto said cheekily.

"I'll follow your lead," Sakura replied.

Naruto begins to casually walk over towards the tree where the Icha Icha book had been left.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! It looks like Kakashi-sensei is throwing in the towel. He left his little orange book right out in the open. Guess he must have been so overwhelmed by his curiosity and desire to read the new book from Pervy Sage that I gave him earlier. Oh, what ever shall I do?" Naruto said sarcastically.

"Naruto, wait! It might be a trap." Sakura stated calmly, despite the fact that she wanted to burst out with laughter at the present moment.

"Well sensei must have finally realized who the superior shinobi are. Let's get this back to Granny so we can get this test over with." Naruto said.

Just as he was about to pick up the book, Naruto found himself being hoisted up into the air by a rope that had ensnared one of his feet.

That's when Kakashi walks out from his hiding spot behind another tree, waving one finger back and forth. Before he can make another snark jab at Naruto, he is pulled out of his stupor when he hears another poof.

'Darn it all. Naruto is on top of his game with those Shadow Clones. That is the second time he has tricked me today. Guess his days as a prankster are beginning to rub off on his abilities as a ninja.' Kakashi thought.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you forgetting something?" Sakura asked while trying to contain her laughter.

"Shinobi Battle Skills Rule Two: Genjutsu," Kakashi mumbled in shame.

Naruto came up to join Sakura from his hiding spot in a tree just a few meters away. "You really must be desperate if you are resorting to the same dirty little tricks you used the first time sensei. Looks like we've got you on the ropes." Naruto boasted.

"Don't be so sure of yourself Naruto. I still have plenty of fight let in me, which is why we are moving on to the final part of today's lesson. This is Shinobi Battle Skills Rule Three: Ninjutsu." Kakashi said as he begins to run through hand signs at a breakneck pace.

Naruto and Sakura were having a hard time keeping up, trying to predict their sensei's next move.

"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled.

Sakura quickly leaped into action, running through a few hand signs of her own. "Water Release: Water Wall!" She shouted.

Sakura's technique had been timed perfectly, intercepting Kakashi's Fireball Jutsu, causing it to evaporate into a cloud of steam.

Naruto followed up with one of his own techniques to blow it away. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Naruto yelled.

As the steam disappeared, Naruto and Sakura found no sign of their sensei anywhere.

"Considering that Kakashi-sensei used Earth Style earlier and Fire Style just a few minutes ago, I think it would be fair to assume that he is going to use either Water Release or Lightning Release next."

"Agreed. If sensei is trying to catch us off guard, I'm leaning more towards his Lightning Style. If he does strike with his Chidori or Lightning Current, do you have another Water Release jutsu that you can use Sakura-chan?"

"Hai. Tsunade-shishou taught me more than one technique. One of them is something Kakashi-sensei should be all too familiar with, considering he used it against Zabuza." Sakura replied.

The two teammates were caught by surprise when they heard a crack of lightning. Both of them knew it could mean only one thing. Kakashi was making his next move.

"Your observation skills have certainly improved by leaps and bounds you two, but it still won't be enough to stop me from ending this right here, right now," Kakashi stated.

"Don't think so sensei. Pervy Sage taught me more than Wind Release jutsu while we were on our three-year training trip." Naruto said as he began to run through a few hands signs.

"Wind Release: Dust Cloud Technique!" Naruto shouted as a high-velocity current filled with dust particles began to float towards Kakashi.

Kakashi prepared to counter it as he made the signs for another Fire Style technique.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled.

"Now Sakura-chan!" Naruto called.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Sakura shouted.

'When did she learn water release? As far as I can remember, Naruto and Sakura never knew their chakra affinities when they were training under me. Wait a minute….' Kakashi stopped his train of thought when he realized how the two had learned these elemental techniques. 'How could I have been so ignorant? The Godaime and Master Jiraiya must have worked on this with each of them over the last three years.'

Quickly bringing himself back to reality, Kakashi waved through the hand signs of one of his most notorious defensive techniques.

"Earth Style: Mud Wall!" Kakashi yelled.

As the water began to recede, Kakashi dropped the defensive wall he had made, only to find that both of his students had vanished.

'My students are very clever. They must have used Sakura's Water Dragon jutsu as an opening to make their escape, knowing that I would counter it using Mud Wall. Oh well, I might as well find a spot to rest for a bit. Those two have really pushed me to go all out with the Sharingan. Maybe I can use this break to catch up on where I left off with Jiraiya's latest masterpiece.' Kakashi thought as he made his way to another part of the training ground before settling down against a tree.

XXXX

In another part of the training ground not too far away, Naruto and Sakura were taking a breather themselves.

"Kakashi-sensei must be pretty worn out by now. Using the Sharingan as much as he has probably is beginning to take a toll on his chakra levels." Sakura pointed out objectively.

"Hai. I think it's time to we exploit that weakness of his, don't you?" Naruto asked while snickering a bit.

"Yeah. Let's do it!" Sakura replied, giving her teammate a warm smile.

"Alright then follow my lead," Naruto said.

XXXX

Kakashi was still resting against the tree he had found earlier, continuing to enjoy Jiraiya's latest novel. He was just getting to what he considered to be one of the best parts of the story thus far until his ninja reflexes suddenly kicked in. Listening intently to the sounds of the wildlife rustling nearby, he knew that his students were making their next move. What surprised Kakashi though was the fact that they were taking a direct approach this time.

"Not very wise using a direct approach you two," Kakashi commented.

"Doesn't matter sensei, because we're ending this little test of yours here and now. I know the ending of Make-Out Tactics." Naruto replied with an evil grin on his face.

"What? How is that possible? I thought you said that you hated this book?" Kakashi said, panicking that the ending was to his precious book was going to be spoiled.

"I was lying. Pervy Sage gave me an advanced copy of the story to help him proofread it before publication. As it happens, the main character….!" Naruto began.

Panicking more and more with each passing minute, Kakashi covered his ears in an attempt to prevent Naruto from spoiling the ending. It was of little good though considering the Sharingan allowed him to read Naruto's lips.

Closing both eyes while still covering his ears, Kakashi was completely oblivious to anything happening around him.

After a few minutes had passed, he reopened his eyes to find Naruto and Sakura standing before him with a grin plastering either face. Naruto held the little orange Icha Icha book whereas Sakura was making a victory sign with her right hand.

"Did you forget one of the first lessons you taught us sensei?" Naruto asked mischievously.

"Always look underneath the underneath." Sakura continued, bursting into a fit of laughter.

"I guess you guys got me. Well done!" Kakashi replied.

The three members of Team 7 let out a laugh until they heard the sounds of clapping come from behind. Tsunade along with Jiraiya and Shizune were giving the three a round of applause.

"Well done Sakura-chan and Naruto-Kun. I knew you guys could do it." Shizune said.

"Excellent work brat. You as well Sakura." Jiraiya said.

"If anyone should be disappointed in their own performance Kakashi, it's you. To be beaten by your own two students, using an unorthodox tactic might I add. Well done Naruto and Sakura. Get a good rest because I want to see the three of you in my office tomorrow morning at 10:30 sharp." Tsunade stated.

"Understood ma'am." The three replied in perfect harmony.

After the two Sannin and Shizune had bid everyone goodbye and made their way home for the night, Kakashi turned to look at Naruto in hopes of getting an answer to the one burning question still on his mind.

"So Naruto, did you really know the ending to Make-Out Tactics?" Kakashi asked out of curiosity.

"Nope! I tried reading one of Pervy Sage's books once and couldn't even finish the first page. Still didn't change the fact that I knew it was the one weakness of yours that could easily be exploited." Naruto replied with a small laugh while Kakashi hung his head in shame for being outfoxed by the Leaf's Most Unpredictable Ninja.

Naruto's fit of laughter was quickly broken, as his stomach growled loudly.

"Whoops! Looks like it's time for a trip to Ichiraku's to satisfy my cravings. Anyone up to grab a meal with me?" Naruto inquired.

'Yes! This is the opportunity I've been waiting for.' Sakura thought.

"Mind if I join you Naruto?" Sakura asked sweetly.

"Of course not Sakura-chan. It's decided! Kakashi-sensei can be the one to treat us for doing such a great job grabbing his stupid little book." Naruto exclaimed.

"Agreed!" Sakura shouted as the two friends raced off back into town.

Kakashi, on the other hand, sweatdropped a bit, before lazily walking in the same direction of his students, with one thought going through his mind. 'This is going to be a long night.'

End Chapter 6:

Alright, guys. Hopefully, you enjoyed the action/fight scenes. Coming up next is the chapter that you've all been waiting for. The moment when Sakura finally spills the beans to Naruto is coming and the good news for all of you is, the wait will be much shorter. Thanks as always for all of your continued support and I'll see you guys next time!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Alright guys, so this is the chapter you've all been waiting for! I'm going to save my lengthy Author's Note ramblings for the end of the chapter so you guys can dig right in. I hope y'all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 7

Having successfully managed to steal the book from Kakashi, we join Team Seven as they make their way through the busy streets of Konoha to eat at Naruto's favorite eating place, Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto's stomach continued to growl like crazy. He hadn't eaten anything since setting out on the final stretch of his journey with his perverted master earlier this morning.

"Pick up the pace Kakashi-sensei, I haven't eaten anything since early this morning," Naruto yelled back at the one-eyed cyclops.

"Me neither. That test sure wore me out too. A nice bowl of ramen would really hit the spot right about now." Sakura chimed in.

"You two do realize that I never said anything about treating you guys to a free meal right?" The silver-haired Jonin asked.

"Of course you did. It's only fair considering how well we did on stealing Ero-Sennin's stupid little smut book from you." Naruto said.

"Don't try to put words into my mouth Naruto. You know darn well enough that I never said anything of the sort. In fact, it was you and Sakura who just assumed I was going to do that. You two were in such a rush to get back into town, that I didn't have a chance to respond." The Copycat Ninja answered.

"Oh come on Kakashi-sensei. If not for completing your test then at least do it so we can celebrate my return." Naruto whined.

"Sorry Naruto, but I'm heading home to get some shuteye. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow, especially with Lady Tsunade expecting us to be at her office pretty early. Meet me at the bridge tomorrow morning at 10. Have fun you two!" Kakashi said, giving his students an eye smile before he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Sakura was silently hoping that this would happen so she could finally have some alone time with Naruto.

"Damnit! There goes my chance for a free meal." Naruto pouted.

"Ah who needs him? He's probably just going home so he can continue reading more of that stupid book anyway. Besides, don't you want to spend more time with me?" Sakura inquired.

Naruto began to sweat. He had managed to stay in Sakura's good graces for most of the day up until this point. He knew that he'd have to choose his next words very carefully if he didn't want to be skinned alive.

"Of course not Sakura-chan. I did invite you to tag along after all. It's just that it is getting pretty late and I don't want to get you in trouble with your parents by keeping you out this late on my account." Naruto said, a hint of nervousness still evident in his voice.

Sakura was touched by Naruto's kind gesture. Even though three years had passed, Naruto was still putting her best interests above his own. There was no way that she wasn't going to let the chance she'd been waiting for all day slip right through her fingers.

"That's very considerate of you Naruto, but you seem to be forgetting one of the first things Iruka-sensei taught us. I became an adult the moment I put this hitai-ate on my head after graduating from the academy, the same as you." Sakura said.

"If you say so Sakura-chan. So are you ready to go? My stomach is killing me. Plus I can't wait to see Old Man Teuchi or Ayame-neesan." Naruto questioned.

"Sure Naruto, I'm ready whenever you are. Heck, seeing it's just the two of us, we can even call it a date if you want." Sakura answered while giving Naruto a warm smile, causing Naruto's jaw to drop.

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Naruto had to get confirmation from Sakura just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Are you serious Sakura-Chan? You're okay with this being a real date?" Naruto asked, still dumbfounded.

"Yep! Now let's go baka! It's not polite to keep a lady waiting." Sakura said, as she grabbed Naruto by the wrist and began to drag him off in the direction of his favorite restaurant.

Ignoring Naruto's continuous wallows of pain that he felt from her iron grip, Sakura marched with her blonde idiot in tow, clearly determined to tell him how she felt.

'No more of this best-friends only nonsense. By the end of this impromptu date Naruto, we're gonna be much more than that. I'm going to you how I feel one way or another, even if I have to beat it into you. Shannaro!" Sakura shouted internally with a renewed feeling of confidence.

XXXX

Having finally reached their destination of what Naruto considered to be the holy grail of any restaurant in Konoha, Sakura released her grip of the blonde jinchuuriki.

Despite the urge to continue his bellyaching over the pain he still felt in his now swollen wrist, Naruto kept his mouth shut to avoid agitating Sakura any more than he already had. He followed her into the stand as she pushed the flaps to either side.

Upon entering the stand, the two teammates were greeted with a pleasant aroma of fresh ramen being cooked with the quality ingredients that Teuchi always served with every dish. Naruto was already drooling, eager to get his hands on the first bowl of Miso Pork for the night. He was completely oblivious to the intentions of the pink-haired girl sitting next to him.

"Good evening Teuchi-san." Sakura greeted cheerfully.

"Ah hello, Sakura. I didn't expect to see you out and about at this time of day. Late shift at the hospital?" Teuchi inquired.

"Not today. I was scheduled to work this morning, but my shift ended early due to there being only a few patients that needed medical attention. Besides, I just got finished taking an evaluation test with my teammate here against Kakashi-sensei." Sakura answered.

"I see. And who might this strapping young fellow be?" Teuchi asked, turning his attention to the young blonde knucklehead.

"I'm shocked that you don't remember me, Old Man," Naruto replied in a mockingly hurt tone.

There was only one person who called him that. "Naruto!? Is that you?" Teuchi asked cheerfully.

"The one and only," Naruto responded, giving his favorite restaurant owner a trademark grin.

"It good to see you Naruto." Teuchi said, turning to yell into the back of the stand, "Ayame, come out here now! We have a special guest dining tonight."

A young woman wearing a white cook's outfit and a matching bandana tying her brown hair back emerged from the kitchen. As her dark colored eyes took notice of the two guests seated at the bar, they lit up with excitement.

"Naruto-Kun! I'm so glad to see you're home again. Business hasn't been the same without you around." Ayame exclaimed, racing over to the edge of the counter and brought her favorite customer in for a warm embrace.

Sakura looked on as the two shared a tender moment. Known for having a mean jealous streak, Sakura would normally have beaten the girl senseless for touching her crush in such close proximity with one another. She took no issue with it though at the present moment in time because she knew that Naruto had always been close to the Ichirakus.

Pulling away from the warm embrace, Ayame was genuinely curious to find out the reason why the two teammates were eating together at this time of day. It no secret to Ayame and her father that Naruto always had a huge crush on the pinkette. That's when a mischievous thought came to mind.

"So are you two on a date?" Ayame teased whilst grinning.

"Don't be mean Ayame-neechan. But to answer your question, yes we're on a date right now. As Sakura-chan mentioned, we just got through with our test against Kakashi-sensei. I was originally just planning on coming just to get a warm meal to satisfy my cravings and catch up with you guys, but Sakura wanted to tag along. In fact, she was the one who suggested that we call it a date."

Teuchi and Ayame could only smile. They were both glad that Naruto had finally gotten his crush to agree to go on an official date with him.

"Alright Ayame, no more teasing the customers right now," Teuchi said before glancing back to his customers. "So what can I get for you two?"

"You go first Sakura-chan." Naruto offered politely.

"Thank you, Naruto. I'll take the usual Teuchi-san." Sakura said.

"One Vegetable Ramen it is. What about you Naruto? Still have a hankering for the Miso Pork?" Teuchi inquired.

"You know it Old Man!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Coming right up! Let's go Ayame. I'm sure Naruto and Sakura still would like some time to catch up with one another, _in private_." Teuchi said, placing a large emphasis on the last two words.

As the owner and his daughter went in back to prepare their meal, Sakura decided to use this alone time to her advantage and begin making her move.

"Hey, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, getting the attention of the pinkette.

"What's up Naruto?" Sakura inquired.

"I hope you don't mind me asking this, but why does it seem like you are a lot friendlier with Old Man Teuchi and Ayame-neechan? You never used to strike me as the type of person who enjoyed more than the occasional bowl of ramen." Naruto said.

"Well after you left to train with Jiraiya-sama, I began coming here a bit more often during my lunch breaks or once my shift at the hospital got over for the day. You were right that I didn't care much for ramen when I was younger, but it's kind of grown on me over time. This place also reminds me of someone special; a person who once requested that I think of things that make me happy whenever I felt sad." Sakura replied.

Naruto smiled. "Well, I'm glad that I was able to help you through sadness and loneliness, even if I wasn't here per se. Speaking of which, did you receive the letters I sent you? I'm sorry that I couldn't write as often as I had hoped, but I tried to get a letter mailed out whenever time permitted." He said.

"That's okay Naruto. And yes, I did get every letter. Reading about some of your exploits and adventures while you were on the road really helped to pass the time during your absence. Now it's my turn to ask you a question." Sakura stated.

"Uh sure, " Naruto said.

"Cool! So did you meet any girls that caught your interest? You know, a special someone?" Sakura asked shyly.

"Nope. I was too focused on my training to be worrying about what some floozy might think of me. And besides, you of all people should know that there's only one girl who still takes my breath away every time I see her. She's the most beautiful girl in the world. Fortunately for me, I happen to be looking at her in the eyes at this very moment." Naruto said, causing Sakura to blush furiously.

"You okay Sakura-chan? Your face is all red again like it was earlier." Naruto pointed out.

'Hint hint Naruto! I'm blushing because I have feelings for you baka!' Sakura thought.

Shaking her head, Sakura took a moment to regain her composure before replying to Naruto's comment.

"I know you said something of the sort earlier, but you really still think of me that way?" Sakura inquired.

"Of course I do Sakura-Chan. I've always thought of you to be the most beautiful girl that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. You know I would never lie to you about a thing like that." Naruto answered, sporting his infamous grin.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't believe that he still only had eyes for. "Because that's your ninja way," Sakura said sarcastically. "Honestly Naruto, I can't believe that after all this time, you still hold me in such high regard. There are plenty of girls who are much prettier than I am. If you saw what Ino or Hinata looked like now, I bet your jaw would drop."

"Nope. I don't care whether it's Ino, Hinata or some other random girl, I still wouldn't want to be with anyone but you Sakura-chan. There just isn't anyone else that is so special and unique as you are. I mean who else has those beautiful bright emerald eyes, shiny pink hair and that large forehead." Naruto chirped happily.

The expression on Sakura's face, however, wasn't so cheerful, quickly having gone from one of pure bliss to a sudden twinge of anger. Naruto had been saying all the right things thus far until he royally fouled it all up by touching upon a sore spot that Sakura was still insecure about to this very day. After getting bullied about her abnormally large forehead as a child, she found it hard to keep her temper in check when someone brought up what she considered to be her worst feature, even if that person was Naruto.

'He better have a damn good reason for mentioning my forehead like that out of nowhere.' Sakura fumed internally.

"What about my forehead?" Sakura snapped in response.

'Here goes nothing.' Naruto thought.

"You have such a large and charming forehead, makes me want to kiss it," Naruto said nervously, closing his eyes in anticipation of the incoming punch sakura would likely throw his way.

The funny thing was, it never came. Slowly reopening his eyelids to reveal his cerulean blue orbs, Naruto was surprised to find that Sakura was just sitting there, staring at him with a puzzled look on her face.

For her part, Sakura was currently deep in thought. Her mind had frozen the moment she heard that sentence leave Naruto's mouth. Sakura continued to draw a blank as she tried to recall who had said those same words to her years before.

The gears slowly began to turn in her mind until the realization finally hit her. Sasuke had once said the very same thing to her on the day of team assignments. What Sakura still had difficulty piecing together was the Uchiha's unusual behavior.

One moment, he was as charming as could be, complimenting the one feature she detested most. The next, Sasuke ran off while holding his stomach in pain, just before the two were about to kiss. When he came back, it was as though Sasuke had done a complete one-eighty. He brushed her off as the typical annoying fangirl and stated that the compliment she had received earlier was probably something Naruto would say. That's when Sakura had finally put the pieces together.

"Naruto, was it you that day at the bench after team placements had been announced?" Sakura inquired.

"Uh yeah. I ambushed Sasuke and hogtied him so he couldn't escape while I came to talk to you in disguise. Knowing that you probably wouldn't have listened to me otherwise, I thought it would be the best way to find out what you thought about me." Naruto answered.

"Why didn't you just ask me that as yourself?" Sakura asked.

"Like I said Sakura-chan, there was a time where you wouldn't have given me the light of day. You were so wrapped up in trying to get Sasuke's attention that you didn't think much of me during our days in the academy or when we were first placed on Team 7 together." Naruto said.

"I suppose you're right," Sakura replied sadly, disappointed with how shallow she once used to be. "But that still doesn't explain why you ran off just as we were about to kiss."

"Earlier that morning, I had consumed some expired milk. The stomach cramps had begun to hit at that very moment, which is why you saw me holding my stomach as I did." Naruto said.

"I see," Sakura said while grinning through her teeth. She now knew of a way to tell the blonde idiot sitting next to her how she felt. Instead of trying to simply convey her feelings with words alone, Sakura was going to take a more direct approach. She hoped that it would finally send a message loud and clear so Naruto understood she loved him.

"You know Naruto, if you had just told me the truth sooner, it would have made things a lot easier," Sakura said.

"Made what easier?" Naruto asked, not understand what Sakura was alluding to.

"This." Sakura simply replied as she grabbed the back of Naruto's head and smashed her lips against his.

Though Sakura had always envisioned her first kiss being with Sasuke, everything about the passionate moment she was sharing with Naruto just felt so right. There was no doubt in her mind that she had made the right choice falling for the blonde goofball.

As she pulled back, Sakura took notice of the shocked expression on Naruto's face. She imagined that her boldness must have caught him by surprise.

"You okay Naruto?" Sakura inquired.

"Hai. Forgive me if I'm a bit confused, but why did you just kiss me Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked.

"Baka! I was doing what we never got to finish three years ago. Didn't you enjoy it? Because if I remember correctly, you were always the one who used to pester me for a kiss and here I am, finally making that request come true. Isn't that what you've always wanted?" Sakura insisted.

"Yes, of course. It's just, I never thought it would actually happen in real life." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Oh trust me Naruto. That was real alright. And if you're a good boy, there will be plenty more of it." Sakura said with a devilish grin on her face.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Sakura slapped her palm against her head. Here she was, practically dropping the biggest hint of all and Naruto was still too stupid to understand what she was trying to do. His cluelessness was cute for a little bit, but Sakura's patience had finally worn thin. The gloves had to come off. Playtime was over.

"Naruto, do you honestly think I would kiss a boy if my intentions and feelings weren't in the right place?" Sakura queried.

"No!?" Naruto responded, still clearly lost.

"I'm glad we're on the same page so far because what I'm about to say is something I have wanted to tell you for three years Naruto. Bearing that in mind Naruto, I want you to listen to me and listen well because I'm only going to say this once. From the moment you got back this afternoon, I have been dropping hint after hint. The blushing, the smiles, heck even the close proximity we've shared from time to time. All of it was meant to tell you one thing. But it seemed all my efforts were in vain because every attempt I made to flirt with you just flew over that oblivious head of yours. I'm done playing games Naruto. So to put this into terms that even a stupid idiot like you can understand, what I'm trying to say is, I love you." Sakura began.

Hearing those three words caused Naruto's mouth to go agape.

Ignoring the look of shock on Naruto's face, Sakura smiled a bit; glad to see that her little speech was beginning to have the desired effect on the blonde jinchuuriki. She stopped to take a deep breath before continuing.

"You helped me through one of the lowest points in my life. The pain we both felt after losing our friend and teammate was unimaginable, but you were there for me in every way you possibly could. Whether it was giving me a shoulder to cry on or simply just making me laugh, you placed my happiness above your own. Every moment I spent with you those few days we had together before you left are some of the happiest times in my life. Above all though, You showed me what it was like to be truly loved by someone. That's the reason why I want to do the same for you. I want to be the woman standing by your side, the one who can make you happy and help make your dreams a reality. But before we take things any further though, I need to be certain that this is something you still want too." Sakura finished, grateful that she could finally take a breath of fresh air knowing that her feelings were now out in the open.

Naruto's brain was currently struggling to process everything that had just transpired, working overtime to prevent a short circuit from occurring. Here was the girl of his dreams confessing she loved him and wanted to take things a step further. He had always dreamt of the day that Sakura would finally reciprocate his feelings, but he couldn't believe it was actually happening. For once, Naruto didn't know what to say.

Sakura, on the other hand, was growing anxious as she waited to hear Naruto's response. She had just taken a huge risk, pouring her heart out to him. The awkward silence that had formed between the two began to concern her that he might say no. She was pulled out of thought as she heard Naruto begin to speak.

"You love me Sakura-chan?" Naruto stuttered out.

Sakura gave him a small nod in response.

"Wow," was the only word that came from Naruto's mouth.

"Wow? All you can say is wow? Naruto, I just shared my feelings for you because I was confident enough that you still felt the same way about me. Please don't tell me that isn't the case." Sakura whispered sadly, tears beginning to form in the corners of her jade eyes.

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but this is just a lot to take in. How long have you felt this way about me?" Naruto asked.

"About three years now. I fell in love with you just as you left with Jiraiya-sama. When you bestowed that request upon me, my mind went back to all the wonderful moments we had shared. Every positive memory I have with you erased a painful one that was once etched in my mind of Sasuke." Sakura said.

Naruto nodded in understanding, taking a moment to reflect on the thoughts and feelings Sakura had shared with him. Naruto decided it was time to finally make his feelings for the pinkette known as well.

"Sakura, from the moment I laid eyes on you for the very first time at the playground all those years ago, I knew there was something special about you. I said this to you three years ago when we were on top of the Yondaime's head together and I still mean it now. Even on the worst of days, seeing your smile always makes it better. I would do anything to protect you and make you happy, even if it came at the cost of my own." Naruto said.

Sakura was struggling to hold back her tears but found it impossible to resist as she continued to listen intently to Naruto's heartfelt confession.

"When I saw you trapped against that tree by Gaara during the Chunin exams, I vowed that I would do whatever it took to save you. That's when I knew what started as childhood crush became feelings of genuine love. I never thought you would reciprocate my feelings, but hearing you say those three words just a moment ago makes me happier more than anything else ever could. Being able to say I finally got my dream girl is the best feeling in the world. I love you too Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"So does this mean you want to give us a chance?" Sakura asked, trying to wipe some stray tears from her eyes before taking Naruto's hands into her own.

"Are you kidding me Sakura-Chan? Of course, I do. What guy wouldn't want to date the most beautiful kunoichi in all of Konoha." Naruto yelled out in excitement, causing Sakura's heart to flutter.

Any worries she previously had about confessing her feelings to Naruto seemed to melt away. She leaned in to give him another quick peck on the cheek, causing Naruto's face turned as red as a strawberry. Sakura couldn't resist the temptation to giggle.

Unable to control herself any longer, Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck and pulled him in to give him a passionate kiss. Naruto slowly eased into it, taking a moment to appreciate his new relationship with the pinkette.

As the two finally pulled back from their steamy kiss, Naruto still wanted some affirmation of their newfound status as a couple.

"So does this mean we're dating now?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sakura replied while rolling her eyes.

"And you're my girlfriend?" Naruto continued eagerly.

"Of course I am baka! Do you honestly think I would go through all that trouble of confessing my feelings and kissing you three times to top it all off? Get this through your thick skull Naruto Uzumaki, we are a couple now. That means I won't let some other hussy dig their claws into you. Anyone who has a problem with that will be on the receiving end of a chakra enhanced kick in the ass. So stop asking stupid questions before I bonk you on the head." Sakura threatened.

"Yes Sakura-chan," Naruto said.

"Good boy," Sakura said as she glanced over in the direction of the doorway to see Ayame standing there smirking, waiting to serve them their orders.

"Ah, perfect timing Ayame-san!" Sakura said, feeling somewhat embarrassed the older girl had seen their intimate moment.

"Don't worry Sakura. There's no need to be shy. I'm glad you told my little brother how you felt. I can tell just by the way you look at each other that you make a good couple. Now go ahead and dig in!" Ayame said placing their orders on the counter.

She was about to go in the back to help her father clean up for the night, but not before turned around to look at her favorite customer one more time. "Oh, by the way, congratulations on finally getting your dream girl Naruto-Kun," Ayame said, causing a blush to form on both of the teenager's faces.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto and Sakura said together as they began to enjoy their warm meal.

Naruto took note not to rush through his meal, as he wanted to make sure he was being respectful and polite while in the presence of the pinkette so she wouldn't scold him. One of the things Naruto learned from the old pervert was proper manners and etiquette.

Sakura was shocked, to say the least, that the hyperactive blonde was not wolfing his ramen down in rapid succession as he once used to. She smiled contently and returned to her own bowl of ramen.

As the couple enjoyed their meal, Naruto would periodically engage in a lively conversation with Teuchi and Ayame, filling them in on his numerous tales while catching up on some of the village gossip.

"That hit the spot. Thanks for an awesome meal as always Old Man. It was nice to catch up with you and Ayame-neechan. I hope you guys have a good night!"

"Same to you Naruto. Goodnight!" Teuchi replied.

"Night Naruto-Kun." Ayame followed up.

As Naruto and Sakura exited the stand, neither one of them was sure where their impromptu date would go from here. While they had finally been able to establish their status as a couple, Sakura could tell by the nervous expression on Naruto's face that he was still struggling to figure out what he should do next. Once again, Sakura found herself in a similar position just as she had a little while earlier, needing to give her loveable idiot a push in the right direction.

"Well, I suppose we should probably get going too, especially considering that Kakashi-sensei wants us to meet up with him at the bridge early tomorrow morning for our first team meeting since you got back," Sakura stated objectively.

"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight Sakura-chan!" Naruto chirped as he put his hands in his pockets and began to walk off in the direction of his apartment.

"And just where do you think you're going in such a hurry, Mr. Uzumaki?" He heard Sakura ask.

Quickly turning back around, Naruto saw that his pink-haired girlfriend was giving him a somewhat annoyed look with her hands placed on either hip.

"Uh, home!?" Naruto replied quizzically.

"Just because we have to be up early tomorrow morning to meet with Kakashi-sensei and Shishou doesn't mean that we can't spend some more time together. I don't know about you, but I'd really like to be in the company of my boyfriend for a little bit longer. Care to walk me home Naruto-Kun?" Sakura asked sweetly.

"Sure thing Sakura-chan," Naruto replied but froze for a moment after hearing Sakura add the -Kun suffix to his name. "Wait, did you just call me Naruto-Kun?"

"Is that a problem? Because I can keep calling you baka instead if you want." Sakura teased.

"No, nothing like that," Naruto said while waving his hands in the air frantically. "It's just that you've never called me Naruto-kun before."

"Well get used to it. Now let's go Na-ru-to-Kun." Sakura said, allowing the syllables in his name to roll off her tongue in a seductive tone.

"Yes, ma'am. Anything for my cherry blossom." Naruto replied.

A hue of pink graced Sakura's cheeks upon hearing Naruto's nickname for her. She reached for Naruto's free arm and looped it with her own, while gently resting her head of beautiful pink hair on it.

Though he was a bit nervous at first by the pinkette's boldness, Naruto smiled a bit before kissing the top of her head.

The two stayed in their warm embrace as they took what Sakura called the scenic route to reach her home, enjoying each other's company and continuing to converse about various topics.

Upon arriving at the Haruno residence, the new couple prepared to say goodnight. Truthfully though, neither of them wanted to say goodnight just yet.

"Thanks for walking me home Naruto-Kun. I'll see you tomorrow." Sakura said.

"You bet. Goodnight Sakura-Chan." Naruto said.

"Goodnight Naruto-Kun," Sakura replied lovingly, getting up on the tip of her toes to give her boyfriend a peck on the lips one last time. She then walked up to the front steps to her door, turning around to give Naruto a warm smile and a small wave.

Naruto gave her a fox-like grin in response before quickly jumping onto a nearby rooftop and disappeared into the night. Just as she was about to walk in the door, Sakura heard a loud voice in the distance loud shout, "Yatta! Sakura-chan's my girlfriend and she kissed me!"

"Baka." She mumbled to herself after hearing her boyfriend's loud outburst. Sakura shook her head a bit at her idiot boyfriend's antics, cute as it was, before closing the door behind her.

She gently removed the straps to her combat boots and placed them next to her parents. Making her way upstairs, Sakura did he nighttime routine in the bathroom before finally getting dressed in her nightclothes and slipped under the covers of her bed.

As she closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep, a smile adorned Sakura's face. She was over the moon right now that she could finally call Naruto her boyfriend. More importantly, though, Sakura was grateful that she could finally begin to show Naruto the same love and compassion that he had always given her.

'I promise you Naruto-kun that I will always be by your side and do whatever it takes to make you happy. You taught me that it's better to share our pain and in doing so, we can overcome anything together. As long as I live and breathe, you will never be alone ever again.' She thought.

XXXX

In another part of the village, a similar thought was going through Naruto's mind.

'I can't believe how lucky I am right now. To finally be able to say that I have Sakura-chan on my arm is amazing. The fact that she loves and accepts me for everything I am, Kyuubi included, is the best feeling in the world. Life doesn't get much better than this.' Naruto thought, before entering a state of deep and relaxing sleep.

If only Naruto knew how wrong he could be. His friend the Kazekage was currently in a battle of life and death, doing whatever it took to protect the people of the Hidden Sand. Ultimately it would be a battle that Sabaku no Gaara would lose, one that might even cost him his life.

End Chapter 7

Alright, guys! I hope I did Sakura's confession justice in a sweet, yet somewhat comical way. This is really the chapter I'm proudest that I have written thus far and represents what I have been gradually building up to since I first started writing this story. Thank you to everyone who has faved, followed, or left reviews thus far. Words cannot even begin to describe how happy it makes me that there are so many of you who seem to enjoy my writing. Thanks for reading and I'll see you all next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 8. Before we get into it I want to address and thank a couple of reviewers.

Ultrachols: Glad you liked it!

MaxSlayer10: Thanks! I plan on addressing Sakura's reaction in the next few chapters. One of those will also finally reveal Jiraiya's spy is within the Akatsuki. Hope you continue to enjoy the story!

With that out of the way, time for the general disclaimer, then onto reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 8

(The next morning…)

Sakura had woken up bright and early. Despite it being a Saturday, one of her regular days off from the hospital, the pinkette couldn't really afford to sleep in late as she normally would. She was beyond ecstatic to be going on her first mission in over three years.

After becoming an apprentice to the Godaime, Lady Tsunade had refused to let her go out of the village until Sakura amassed enough chakra over the course of three years in her 100 Healings reservoir. One of the things Sakura did to accomplish this quicker was to focus her chakra into two different dams. The smaller of these two reservoirs was the one that Sakura could tap into at any time for things such as performing surgeries or fighting in combat.

Aside from the fact that she was going on her first mission again in three years, Sakura still felt giddy about her date with Naruto from the previous night.

Now that she could proudly say that Naruto was her boyfriend, Sakura fully intended to prove that she meant every word when she told him that she would do anything to make him happy. Sakura felt one way to make good on that promise was by surprising Naruto with breakfast. Even though ramen had grown on her over the last few years while the hyperactive blonde was gone, the kunoichi still enjoyed the occasional opportunity to give Naruto a hard time.

Slipping on her combat boots and grabbing her purse, Sakura was just about to make her way out the door when she noticed her mother Mebuki was already up and about as well, doing laundry.

"Good morning mom!" Sakura said cheerfully.

"Oh good morning dear! You're up bright and early. Got something special planned for today?" Mebuki asked.

"Hai. I have to meet Kakashi-sensei at the bridge in a few hours. Lady Tsunade requested our presence at the Hokage mansion for eleven o'clock sharp." The pinkette replied.

"And here I thought you'd be sleeping in a bit considering how late you got home last night," Mebuki said.

"Yeah. Normally I would be seeing today's my day off, but I have a mission to go on. Sorry if I woke you or dad up when I got in last night." Sakura said.

"I was just about to ask you about that. What kept you out so late?" Mebuki inquired.

"Shishou had me taking an evaluation test against Kakashi-sensei to see how much I have improved since I began training with her. It went into the early hours of the night, but we passed with flying colors thanks to my teammate's out of the box thinking." Sakura explained.

'Teammate huh? Naruto must've finally returned from his training trip. Why not tease my daughter a little bit to see if she finally worked up the courage to tell her crush how she felt.' Mebuki thought.

"While I am pleased to hear that you did so well with your test, it doesn't mean you're off the hook just yet young lady. You didn't answer my question fully. Care to explain why you weren't home until around midnight or after?" Mebuki relented.

"Geez mom, can't you lighten up a bit?" Sakura asked, only to get a look from her mother that implied 'forget trying to weasel your way out of this'.

"Oh fine. If you must know, I was at Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto so we could catch up. Yesterday was the first time I've seen him in three years." Sakura said in defeat.

"Were you two on a date?" Mebuki asked.

Sakura blushed, giving Mebuki all the confirmation she needed.

"Judging by the way your face just lit up, I'll take that as a yes. I hope you used that opportunity to finally tell him how you felt." Mebuki joked.

"Oh trust me, I did. It took a little nudge on my part, but I confessed my feelings to him and he said that he still felt the same way about me." Sakura said.

"So does that mean you two are an item now?" Mebuki asked.

Sakura smiled and nodded gently, causing Mebuki to wrap her daughter in a warm embrace.

As she pulled away, the elder Haruno was beaming with pride. While it saddened Mebuki to see her little girl growing up so fast, another part of her was grateful that Sakura had found love with the right man.

"I'm so happy for you dear. Naruto is a nice young man and has always had your best interests at heart. Your father and I have never harbored any ill feelings towards him even despite the burden he carries. My admiration for Naruto only grew when you told me how he helped you get over the loss of your other teammate. Promise me you'll invite him over for dinner sometime soon." Mebuki said.

"I will," Sakura replied. "Sorry to cut this short mom, but I really need to get going. The reason I got up so early aside from the fact of having to meet with Kakashi-sensei and Shishou in a little bit is that I wanted to head over to Naruto's place and surprise him with breakfast."

"Well, I won't keep you any longer. Have fun!" Mebuki exclaimed.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll see you later." Sakura yelled back, closing the door behind her.

Mebuki watched her daughter run out the door and smiled as she returned to her task of folding laundry.

'It seems history is repeating itself. My daughter is acting just like how you were with Minato. Oh, how I miss those days, Kushina.' Mebuki thought, remembering her late best friend.

XXXX

Sakura made her way to one of the smaller neighborhood grocery stores that her family shopped in the market district, picking up some last-minute ingredients so she could make her mom's famous chocolate chip pancakes.

Paying for the groceries. Sakura bid farewell to the store owner, who was a close friend of her father's and wasted no time in trying to get over to her boyfriend's apartment.

As she weaved her way through the crowds lining the busy streets of the market district, Sakura hoped that she wouldn't run into anyone she knew, especially a certain blonde-haired Yamanaka. Unfortunately for Sakura, a run-in with her best-friend and self-proclaimed rival was unavoidable, as she saw the kunoichi in question coming her way.

'Oh great, it's Ino-pig.' Sakura cursed to herself.

"Hey, Billboard Brow! I didn't expect to see you out and about at this time of day. Picking up some groceries for your mom?" Ino asked.

"Hi, Piggy. Nope! I just stopped to grab some stuff so I can make breakfast for a friend. I would love to stay and chat, but I really need to get going. I've got a busy day ahead." Sakura replied.

"Not so fast Billboard Brow. I just heard some juicy gossip that you won't want to miss. From what a little bird told me at the front gate this morning, it would seem as though your favorite blonde idiot finally returned yesterday." Ino said.

"You're really just learning of that now? I've known that Naruto's been back since yesterday afternoon. Shishou had me take an evaluation test with him against Kakashi-sensei." Sakura retorted.

"No kidding. So did you finally tell him that you were crazy about him?" Ino jabbed.

"Maybe, maybe not. Even if I did, there's no way I'd talk about it with Konoha's gossip queen." Sakura rebuked.

"Oh come on Billboard Brow, don't play coy with me. I know you're trying to hide something just from the glint in those jade eyes. Now spill. What happened with you and Naruto?" Ino relented.

"You can try to pester me all you want Pig, but I'm not going to say a word. My lips are sealed." Sakura said.

"Fine. If you won't talk, then I'll just use my Mind Transfer technique to poke around in the big ole forehead of yours." Ino threatened in a light-hearted manner.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Not unless you want another repeat of what happened during the Chunin exams with Inner." Sakura pointed out.

"That was just a fluke Billboard Brow and you know it! I could easily mop the floor with you right now if I really wanted to. I've been training extra hard with my dad to improve my skills with our clan's Mind Transfer jutsu." Ino boasted proudly.

"All talk and no action Piggy. If you ask me, it seems like you're just parading around the village, spewing all that hot air you've been keeping pent up in your lungs for the last few months. No wonder guys haven't taken an interest to you. It's because you're such a damn airhead!" Sakura insinuated.

"You're one to talk Billboard Brow! I may be full of it at times, but you can't deny that I'm far more attractive than you. Even if you are Lady Tsunade's apprentice, no man is gonna want to set foot near someone with a flat chest and possess the strength of a brute." Ino shot back, smirking at the thought that she had come out as the victorious one from their little rivalry spat.

Instead of taking the insult seriously however, the pinkette burst out into laughter.

"What's so funny Billboard Brow? I just hurled one of the worst insults I could muster and you start breaking into a fit of laughter. You sound like a damn Hyena right now. You know that right?" Ino asked.

"I'm sorry Pig, but you don't know how wrong you could be right now." Sakura laughed.

"Well, why don't you enlighten me then," Ino said.

"As of last night, I'm officially off the market. Naruto and I are dating now!" Sakura gushed.

"So let me get this straight. If you two are dating, then that means you must have told the idiot how you felt. Any trouble getting the message through to that thick-headed skull of his?" Ino inquired.

"Yes, I did. Unfortunately, I had to spell it out to him. No matter how many times I tried flirting with him and dropping hint after hint, everything went in one ear and out the other. In short, just typical Naruto." Sakura joked.

"Still that dense huh? Did you take my advice on just being blunt with him?" Ino asked.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I tried kissing him, hoping that actions would speak louder than words, but the baka still didn't get it. So I just flat out confessed." Sakura replied.

"What about Naruto? Did he still feel the same way for you?" Ino asked.

"Calm down Ino-Pig. I was just getting to the best part when you abruptly cut me off." Sakura snapped.

"Now as I was just about to say, we went on an impromptu date at Ichiraku last night after teaming up against Kakashi-sensei for a second rendition of the bell test. I was the one who took the initiative to tell the baka how I felt. When I finished pouring my heart out to him, Naruto had to take a moment to process everything, but in the end, he did reciprocate my feelings. He really said some sweet things too that made my heart melt." Sakura said.

"Such as?" Ino questioned.

"Well, my favorite compliment by far was when Naruto told me that he thinks I'm still the most beautiful girl in the world. Even if there are times I don't consider myself to be pretty, hearing the baka say it makes me believe it's true." Sakura gushed in response.

Ino squealed with excitement, bringing Sakura into an embrace.

"I'm so happy for you Forehead. Naruto's a good guy and has always treated you like a princess. So is he good looking?" Ino asked inquisitively.

"Watch it Pig. We may have reconciled our differences, but I am not going to get into a fight with you over another guy. Naruto is my man!" Sakura declared with a small hint of anger in her tone.

"Oh don't be so overprotective of him Billboard Brow. You have nothing to worry about with Naruto because it's like you just said, he only has eyes for you. Plus I think he made it pretty clear that he wouldn't have any other girl by his side. The guy may act like an idiot at times, but no one can question how fiercely loyal he is." Ino pointed out.

"Yeah," Sakura replied, blushing a bit at the thought of how amazing her boyfriend was.

"Only one issue left to deal with now. How are you guys going to break the news to Hinata?" Ino asked.

Hearing her rival mention that name caused Sakura to frown a bit. She was not looking forward to having that conversation with the shy Hyuga girl, crushing any hopes she had to be with the hyperactive blonde.

"That isn't going to be very pleasant. I guess Naruto and I will have to cross that bridge together when the time comes. In any case, though, I better get going Piggy if I still want to surprise Naruto with breakfast." Sakura said.

"Alright Billboard Brow, I'll see you later. When you get back from your mission though, I expect you to fill me in on all the juicy details." Ino jabbed, causing the pinkette's face to flush in embarrassment.

Regaining her composure, Sakura smiled at her rival and said. "Sounds good. Maybe we can get everyone else from the Rookie Nine and Team Gai together. I'm sure Naruto would love to catch up with the rest of his friends."

Ino nodded and continued on her way, while Sakura resumed her trek to Naruto's apartment.

XXXX

Standing in front of the door to her boyfriend's apartment, Sakura pulled the spare key out of her purse. She used extreme care when inserting the key into the lock and began turning the knob, careful not to make a sound as she entered the apartment.

Gently closing the door behind herself, Sakura removed her combat boots and placed them next to Naruto's new shinobi sandals near the entrance before tiptoeing into the kitchen.

Much to her surprise, the apartment was just as she left it, clean as a whistle. After Naruto left, Sakura had begged and pleaded with Lady Tsunade to give her the spare key. She wanted to make sure that when her lovable idiot returned, he would be welcomed home to an apartment painstakingly cleaned instead of leaving it to look like a disaster zone as it often did in Naruto's presence.

As she set the bag of ingredients down on the counter, she was treated to the loud sounds of Naruto snoring. Sakura smiled a bit at how cute he was, as she set to work preparing breakfast for the two of them.

(A half-hour later…)

Naruto was still in a state of a deep sleep, a little bit of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth with his arms wrapped tightly around a pillow.

Now one might think given his current sleeping position that he would have been dreaming all night about his pink-haired angel, but that was far from it.

"No Sakura-chan. Please don't take my ramen away. I love you just as much as the Miso Pork." Naruto mumbled in between snores.

"Wait! That came out wrong! What I meant to say is I love you more than anything, even ramen. Please don't hit me Sakura-ch… OW!" Naruto blurted out until his eyelids slowly opened to reveal that he had rolled off the bed and fallen onto the floor.

'Thank kami that was only a dream. If I told Sakura-chan that I loved ramen more than her, she would probably feed me to the wolves.' Naruto thought fearfully, sending a shiver down his spine.

Naruto was pulled out of thought as his nose picked up a sweet scent floating in the air through the crevice of his bedroom door.

Slowly gaining his bearings despite still being a little groggy, Naruto gradually opened the door and trudged towards the kitchen. What he saw next could only be described as heaven on earth.

Standing attentive at the stove with a spatula in hand was none other than his new girlfriend, Sakura Haruno. Garbed in her typical shinobi attire, the pinkette wore a cute little apron on top and her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail.

Singing a tune to herself as she flipped a pancake over, Sakura was completely oblivious to the fact that the blonde jinchuriki was right behind her.

Feeling a bit cheeky himself, Naruto crept up on her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Sakura let out a small squeak before she looked up at Naruto and smiled.

"Morning sleepyhead!" Sakura chirped happily.

"Good morning to you too beautiful," Naruto replied, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "So what're doing here this early?"

"I thought I would surprise you with breakfast. Figured you could use a nice, filling meal, with today being your first day back and all. Besides, you can't always have ramen." Sakura said.

"But Sakura-chan…" Naruto began to whine.

"No buts mister. I went through a lot of trouble to make this. So if you want to stay on my good side, why don't you go shower and get cleaned up. I'll have breakfast on the table in about fifteen minutes." Sakura insisted.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan, but you didn't have to do all this just for me," Naruto said.

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to. You know I meant every word last night right?" Sakura inquired.

"Sakura-chan please listen to me. You don't need to go above and beyond to make me happy. Just being here, _with you_, is more than I could ever ask for." Naruto replied.

"Baka. Go before you give the urge to jump you and start making out." Sakura giggled, playfully elbowing him in the stomach.

"Yes ma'am," Naruto replied with a small salute.

Making his way to the bathroom to shower, Naruto looked back over his shoulder and said. "Oh and don't think I haven't noticed that my apartment was cleaned up. Guess I have you to thank for that too."

"Maybe," Sakura said while trying to appear innocent.

"You always were bad at lying Sakura-chan." Naruto pointed out, causing his pink-haired girlfriend to get riled up and toss a dirty mixing bowl at him.

Luckily for the blonde knucklehead, he had anticipated such a move and quickly closed the door to avoid the incoming object hurled his way.

"He's lucky I love him. Otherwise, that idiot would have been dead meat." Sakura mumbled to herself.

XXXX

After Naruto had showered and dressed, he returned to the kitchen to find that Sakura had been good to her word. Taking a seat at this dinner table, she came to join him with a plate of a few pancakes in either hand.

When Sakura sat down next to him, Naruto looked over to his girlfriend and gave her a toothy grin.

"What?" The pinkette asked curiously.

"Nothing. It's just that you look really pretty with your hair up Sakura-chan. I love the way those pink bangs hang on either side, framing your beautiful facial features." Naruto stated, causing Sakura to blush furiously.

"Oh thanks, Naruto. Maybe I'll start wearing it up a bit more often than." Sakura whispered.

While the pink-haired kunoichi appreciated her boyfriend's compliments, that didn't mean he wasn't off the hook with her just yet. Still a bit annoyed from her boyfriend's snarky remark earlier, Sakura felt it was time to return the favor and tease him a bit as she had the day before.

"If you don't mind me asking, since when did you become such a sweet talker Naruto? Not that I don't appreciate the compliments and all, but I'm just hoping this isn't something that rubbed off on you the wrong way from your perverted sensei. Should I find out that he is, however…" Sakura began, as an evil grin formed on the corners of her face.

"Of course not Sakura-chan. I would never do anything to embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable, especially in public. Besides, I think I made it pretty clear yesterday that I had no part in Ero-Sennin's research for that stupid new book of his." Naruto stammered.

Sakura chuckled to herself while thinking, 'It's so easy to tease him.'

"Relax Naruto. I was just kidding. How about you try one of the pancakes I made? I'd really like to know what you think of them." Sakura said.

Naruto gave her a small nod while Sakura watched on nervously as he took his first bite of a flapjack.

"Is it good? Did I overcook it or do something wrong?" The pinkette asked, suddenly feeling a bit insecure about her cooking skills.

"This is amazing Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I hope you're not just saying that to placate me," Sakura said.

"I'm not kidding Sakura-chan! These are some of the best pancakes I've ever had. Where did you learn to cook like this?" The blonde asked eagerly.

"My mom taught me a little bit here and there. This is her recipe for chocolate chip pancakes." Sakura replied, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Remind me to thank her for teaching you to be such a good cook," Naruto said, giving his girlfriend one of his trademark smiles. "Thank you for this Sakura-chan. I couldn't have asked for a better way to begin my first official day back."

"You're welcome," Sakura answered back lovingly, leaning over to peck him on the lips.

As she pulled away, Sakura almost forgot to mention the request her mother had made before she left the house.

"Oh and speaking of my mom, she wants you to join us for dinner sometime in the near future," Sakura said.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked nervously.

"Yes. My parents have never thought of ill of you. Heck, my mother practically adores you, especially with how loving and supportive you've always been. She wouldn't have asked me to extend an invitation otherwise." Sakura said.

Naruto nodded and the couple returned to enjoying their breakfast together.

XXXX

Once done with their breakfast, Naruto helped his girlfriend clean up in the kitchen. As the time to rendezvous with their sensei finally drew near, Naruto grabbed his orange and black jacket from the closet and locked up the door before making their way to the usual meeting spot. Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and carefully intertwined her fingers with his.

Upon reaching the streets of Konoha, the two walked side by side. Sakura was carefully taking notice of the reaction that the villagers were giving them. Some were actually smiling, whereas others still shot a glare of distaste at the blonde jinchuriki.

The pinkette didn't care what any of them thought about her display of affection towards her boyfriend in public. Just as she told Naruto last night, if anyone had a problem with it, she wasn't afraid to set them straight. Sakura hadn't trained under the Godaime the last three years for nothing. She squeezed Naruto's hand gently, causing the blonde to look at her and she gave him a reassuring smile, which he was quick to return.

Naruto, on the other hand, had been feeling a bit saddened by the dirty looks that some of the villagers had given him, somewhat dampening his cheerful mood. The warmth and love radiating off of Sakura, however, was more than enough to null and void any negative energy he previously felt.

This is what he loved about Sakura. Ever since she finally come out of her shell, acting more confident and believing in herself, the pinkette had stopped worrying about what others thought of her. In addition, Sakura wasn't afraid to speak her mind anymore, nor did she take any of people's crap.

Finally reaching their team's usual meeting spot, Naruto and Sakura were pleasantly surprised to find their sensei waiting for them. What didn't shock them all that much however was the fact that the masked pervert was living up to his reputation.

The Copy Nin was leaning with his back against the railing of the bridge, eyes buried in Jiraiya's latest epic tale while letting out a small pervish giggle.

"Ahem!" Naruto and Sakura said, causing the silver-haired Jounin to look up at them and arch an eyebrow.

"Well, I must say that this is an interesting development. I see you two are finally together. So which one of you made the first move?" Kakashi inquired.

"That would be me. As much as I love this big goof, he can be a clueless idiot at times. I'm just glad he and I are finally together." Sakura replied.

"Well congratulations to you both," Kakashi said, giving his students an eye smile before turning his gaze upon Naruto. "So are you ready for a mission Naruto?"

"Hai. Hopefully Granny won't stick us with some lame D-rank." Naruto muttered.

"Agreed." Sakura chimed in.

"Well let's get a move on then. Shizune stopped by my house this morning to inform me that the Godaime isn't exactly in the greatest of moods right now. I didn't get the exact details, but supposedly she had a lengthy verbal sparring session with the elders last night after your evaluation test was through." Kakashi explained.

Hearing that last part made Naruto and Sakura shake in their boots a bit, but they didn't say a word as they followed their sensei to the Hokage mansion.

XXXX

When Naruto and Sakura walked into the Godaime's office behind Kakashi, with their hands still intertwined, the Godaime gave them a response that neither had expected.

"Well, it's about damn time you two got together!" Tsunade shouted cheerfully. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever take a hint that my apprentice had feelings for you brat."

Sakura blushed, whereas Naruto was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"In any event though, why don't we get right down to business. There's a couple of things we need to discuss before I can assign you three a mission." Tsunade explained.

Receiving nods from the three, Tsunade continued. "First things first. Naruto and Sakura; you will no longer be known as Team Seven."

"What? You can't get rid of Kakashi-sensei." Naruto shouted in a loud outburst.

"Quiet baka and let Shishou speak." Sakura cut in, bonking her boyfriend on the head in an effort to shut him up.

"Thank you, Sakura. Now as I was saying before the brat decided to rudely cut me off, I am renaming your squad to Team Kakashi." Tsunade said.

"I'm confused, Granny. So you're breaking up Team 7 and replacing it with Team Kakashi?" Naruto inquired.

"What the Godaime is trying to say Naruto is that we will still be working together, but not as student and sensei anymore. You guys have proven that you can toe-to-toe with me, which means we are equals now." Kakashi stated.

"Bingo. Now for the other reason I wanted you here this morning and pay attention brat because it specifically pertains to you. I talked it over with both Kakashi and the old perv last night after your evaluation test and they both wholeheartedly agreed that you are ready for this." Tsunade said as she handed Naruto a green Konoha flak jacket.

"It is with great pleasure that I promote Naruto Uzumaki to the rank of Chunin for your exemplary service in defense of Konoha during the Sand-Sound invasion three years ago." Tsunade boomed.

"Thanks, Granny," Naruto said.

"No problem kid. It's something that should have been done a long time ago, but getting it approved by the council and especially those old geezers was half the battle itself. And with that out of the way, are you ready for your first mission?" The busty Hokage inquired.

"Hai," Naruto answered.

"Well, I'm afraid that the only thing I can offer you guys at the moment is a C-rank escort mission," Tsunade said flatly, already anticipating what Naruto's response might be.

"Oh come on Granny Tsunade. Don't you have any better than a lousy escort mission?" Naruto asked.

"Quiet brat! It's either the escort mission or you guys can do a D-rank. And so help me if I hear one more complaint out of that obnoxious loud mouth of yours, I'll…." Tsunade began but never had a chance to find finish her sentence as the door to her office burst open, revealing Yurika of the Leaf's cryptology team.

"Excuse the interruption Lady Tsunade, but we just received an urgent emergency dispatch from Suna. It would seem that the Kazekage has been captured by the Akatsuki." Yurika said.

"Damn it! Why does it always have to be him!?" Naruto shouted in frustration.

"Please calm down Naruto-Kun." Sakura soothed as she tried to get the blonde to relax a bit.

Taking a moment to weigh her options, Tsunade knew that there was no better fit for this mission than Team 7. While putting Naruto back into the field so soon, and against members of the Akatsuki no less, she had a valid reason to do so. After taking up the mantle of Hokage, Tsunade learned that Naruto was the one responsible for stopping Gaara. In the process, she came to understand that the only person who could relate to one jinchuriki was another that had been through similar experiences or ordeals.

"Team Kakashi, I am assigning this mission to you. Go and pack your things. You are to leave within the hour. Understood?"

"Hai." Team Kakashi replied.

"Good. I will meet you at the village gate at noon. Dismissed." Tsunade said.

Once the three were gone, the Godaime figured she should also inform her former teammate of the news and find out if he had any additional information he could offer to them.

"Shizune," Tsunade said.

"Yes, m'lady?" Shizune inquired.

"Go find the old perv and bring him here. NOW!" The Godaime shouted, placing an emphasis on the last word in particular.

"Yes, m'lady!." Shizune replied nervously, running out of the office with Tonton in hand to find the old pervert.

"And grab me another bottle of sake while you're out!" Tsunade was quick to follow up.

XXXX

After receiving the mission assignment, Naruto ran back to his apartment as fast as his legs could carry. During the entire trip home though, his emotions were running rampant.

'Why does it always have to be Gaara? Just when the two of us finally began to find happiness in our lives, those Akatsuki bastards had to go and ruin it. I'm going to make them pay!' Naruto spat angrily in his mind.

Quickly packing his backpack, Naruto returned to the village gate to find his the masked pervert and his pink-haired lover waiting for him alongside the Godaime and Jiraiya. The busty Hokage's presence Naruto could understand, but he didn't know why the Toad Sannin was there as well.

"Ero-Sennin? What are you doing here?" Naruto questioned.

"I came to see you off because there is something we need to discuss," Jiraiya replied as he approached Naruto and pulled him aside.

"During your mission to rescue the Kazekage, you are going to be once again confronted by members of the Akatsuki. Remember what I taught you. Do not act rashly and try to rely upon your own chakra as much as possible. Continue to work on your communication with the Kyuubi as well. You have begun to make good strides in working as a team with him." Jiraiya praised.

Letting out a deep sigh, the Toad Sannin continued. "One more thing. I have instructed my spy that's within their ranks to make contact with you when they find an appropriate means to do so. They have valuable intel that should assist you in your mission. Their identity may also come as a bit of a shock to you, but everything will be explained in due time. Understood?"

"Got it Ero-Sennin," Naruto replied.

"Good," Jiraiya said, turning to fix his gaze on the Copycat Ninja. "I leave Naruto in your care Kakashi. Keep an eye on him for me."

Kakashi merely gave a nod in understanding as Jiraiya finally turned his attention on the pinkette.

"Sakura could I talk to you for a moment please?" The Toad Sannin asked.

Sakura complied, following Jiraiya until they were out of earshot.

"First things first, Tsunade informed me that you two are finally together. Congratulations." Jiraiya said, causing the pinkette to respond with a small smile.

"Nevertheless though, I need you to keep Naruto relaxed as much as possible. With the news of Gaara's kidnapping, Naruto's emotions are sure to be at a fever pitch right now, even if he doesn't want to outwardly express them. If the Kyuubi's chakra does get out of hand, place this seal on his forehead. It will suppress the nine-tails chakra." Jiraiya elaborated, taking a small pouch and handed it to Sakura.

"Understood Jiraiya-sama. I will not let anyone hurt him." Sakura said confidently.

"Good girl. Best we get back to your boyfriend and sensei." Jiraiya said.

As Sakura and Jiraiya rejoined the others, Team Kakashi exchanged their last words with the two Legendary Sannin.

"Good luck Team Kakashi. Bring the Kazekage back alive." Tsunade said.

"Hai." The three replied as they disappeared off into the treetops.

Once they were out of sight, Tsunade turned to Jiraiya and asked. "Do you think they'll be able to save Kazekage in time?"

"It's possible. With Kakashi leading the mission, there's a chance they can rescue Gaara. That isn't what worries me though. What has me concerned is whether or not Naruto will be able to keep his cool and work with the Kyuubi as a team. I pray that he doesn't let his anger get the best of him." The Frog Hermit replied.

"I think he'll be fine. Naruto does have a good girl standing next to him. If Sakura is anything like Kushina, she'll make sure to keep the brat in line while giving him the love and support he needs." Tsunade pointed out.

"That's true. I see a lot of Minato and Kushina in the brat and Sakura. One can only wonder what will happen when the time comes for Naruto to learn of his parentage." Jiraiya said.

"Time will tell I suppose. Either way, you and I will both be there for him in any way we can." Tsunade responded, giving her former teammate a lighthearted smile.

Jiraiya nodded and followed the busty Hokage as they made their way to grab a drink together at one of Tsunade's favorite watering holes.

XXXX

Meanwhile with Naruto

The blonde jinchuriki was quickly leaping from tree branch to tree branch. Despite calls from both his pink-haired girlfriend and Jounin sensei to slow down, Naruto continued to maintain a bit of distance between them. With the life of one of his closest friends on the line, Naruto felt he couldn't afford to abandon his current pace.

'Hang on Gaara. I coming for you.' Naruto thought to himself, continuing on the path to Suna with Sakura and Kakashi bringing up the rear behind him.

End Chapter 8

I hope you guys enjoyed! Please rate and review! See you all next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys! Before we get into it, I wanted to give you all a heads up now that this chapter is going to be pretty lengthy. There's a lot of ground to cover and condense, as I don't want this story to become bogged down by following the events of the Kazekage Rescue Arc in Shippuden too closely. The plot changes I intend to make to the events of Canon will begin to take shape in the next Chapter. Enough with the rambling though. On to the general disclaimer first, then straight to reading! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 9

Team Kakashi had been on the road for a few hours now. Naruto was still leading the pack, dashing through the forest at a breakneck pace. His emotions were running at a fever pitch, deeply angered the Akatsuki's sudden and bold act.

Bringing up the rear behind Naruto was his pink-haired lover and the Copycat Ninja. Both of them had been trying to get Naruto to slow down, but their efforts proved unfruitful. The pinkette and the silver-haired Jonin surmised that Naruto was trying to reach Sunagakure as quickly as possible, feeling an obligation to help his fellow jinchuriki. Sakura in particular though was growing more and more concerned, as her boyfriend hadn't said a word to either herself or their sensei since they left the village.

Sakura was about to try and reach out to Naruto once again but stopped herself short when she noticed Temari walking on the road beneath them from the corner of her eyes.

"Temari!" Sakura called out to her friend.

The Sand kunoichi in question came to a halt and turned around, surprised to see Team Kakashi standing in front of her with full travel gear on their backs.

"Oh hey Sakura. I didn't expect to run into you guys again this soon, let alone all the way out here. Got a new mission?" Temari inquired.

"Hai, but I wish our paths had crossed under better circumstances. Members of the Akatsuki attacked Suna last night and Gaara was captured during the battle." Sakura replied.

"Gaara... was captured?" Temari stuttered out in shock, getting a small nod from Sakura whom herself had a sad look on her face.

Temari's mind briefly traveled back to the strange occurrence from earlier at the teahouse.

Flashback:

Temari was seated with her legs crossed at a table in a small teahouse that she had found along the way on her journey back home.

When the Sand kunoichi was about to grab her drink, the glass suddenly began to crack. Temari didn't know what to make of it.

At first, she just shrugged the whole thing off. Temari figured that the drinking glass might have already been damaged a bit, spontaneously cracking due to the high temperature of her tea. For some reason though, another part of her had a weird feeling in the back of her mind that something bad happened.

Flashback End:

'I knew that I should have listened to my gut instincts when it was trying to tell me something was off.' Temari thought to herself.

"I see. So is that the reason why you guys are heading in the direction of Suna?" Temari asked.

"Yes. Our Hokage received an urgent request for help from Baki. We are currently en-route to assist." Kakashi explained. "You are welcome to travel with us Temari if you'd like."

"Right. Let's go!" Temari said, getting nods from the members of Team Kakashi, as the four jumped into the treetops and continued on their journey to Suna once again.

XXXX

Dusk had fallen on Fire Country. The sky overhead was crystal clear, without a cloud in sight. A sea full of stars twinkled intermittently, dancing in perfect harmony around the full moon that shone brightly.

Little had changed since earlier that afternoon when Team Kakashi had linked up with Temari of the Sand. Naruto was still as quiet as a mouse, jumping quickly from tree limb to tree limb.

Unlike the blonde jinchuriki who possessed massive chakra reserves thanks to the Nine-Tailed fox, Sakura was beginning to feel a bit exhausted herself. Though she couldn't speak for Kakashi or Temari, the pinkette was hoping they could stop to rest for a bit. Sakura did have an ulterior motive as well, hoping to use the opportunity to make sure her boyfriend was okay.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Could we stop to rest for a bit? I don't know about you or Temari, but I'm feeling a bit exhausted." Sakura said.

Kakashi nodded in understanding.

"Alright everyone, we're going to stop and rest for a bit," Kakashi announced.

"But Kakashi-sensei. We need to reach Suna as fast as we can to save Gaara." Naruto protested.

"I understand Naruto, but Sakura was the one who requested that we stop to take a break. She needs some time to recuperate her chakra." Kakashi said.

Naruto looked over to his girlfriend to see if their sensei was telling the truth.

"Sorry Naruto, but I used a lot of chakra just pumping it into my legs in an effort to keep up with you. Ever since I started training with Lady Tsunade, one of the first things I had to do was begin storing away chakra over the course of three years so I could eventually learn the Hundred Healing's jutsu." Sakura began.

"Are you talking about the thing that Granny has on her forehead?" Naruto inquired.

"Hai. Most of my chakra goes into a reservoir specifically designated for the Hundred Healings mark. Because I was having trouble balancing the chakra needed for that along with Medical Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, I taught myself to split some of my chakra off into a separate smaller reservoir. The chakra I was continuously pumping into my legs came out of that very same reservoir." Sakura explained.

"Oh. Sorry about that Sakura-chan." Naruto said, feeling somewhat deflated.

"It's okay Naruto. I know you're worried about Gaara. Seeing we have a little free time, could I talk to you in private for a minute?" Sakura asked.

"Uh sure," Naruto replied.

Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and led him over to a nearby tree. Taking a seat, Sakura motioned for Naruto to do the same.

"So what did you want to talk to me about Sakura-chan?" Naruto questioned.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. You've been abnormally quiet since we left the village, which is unusual considering how much of a hyperactive loudmouth that you usually are. With the news of Gaara's abduction and all, I'm sure it must have hit you pretty hard. Do you want to talk about it?" Sakura inquired.

"How did you know?" Naruto asked.

"Come on baka. It's me you're talking to. Besides, this isn't the first time you've acted like this. You did the very same thing when you told me about the Kyuubi for the first time. Remember what I said about keeping things bottled up?" Sakura asked.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. It must have slipped my mind." Naruto said, giving his girlfriend a weak smile.

"Please don't shut me out Naruto-Kun. Talking about this will help, I promise." Sakura said in a calm and reassuring manner.

"Fine." Naruto sighed in defeat. "What I can't seem to get over is the fact that when Gaara and I had finally begun to find happiness, the Akatsuki finally decided to make their move. Why does Gaara always have to draw the short end of the stick, suffering more than I do? I don't deserve to be happy if he can't too."

"Naruto-Kun, you need to stop beating yourself up over this. Gaara's kidnapping was something beyond our control. I understand that you're angry and frustrated given the close bond you two share as jinchuriki, but do you think that Gaara would want you to act this way?"

"No. But it still doesn't change the fact that people see us as nothing more than monsters." Naruto said.

"STOP!" Sakura shouted, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto began but was cut off as Sakura continued on her emotional rant.

"No Naruto, you listen to me! I said this to you three years ago and I hate having to repeat myself again. When you told me about the Kyuubi and referred to yourself as a monster, do you remember what I said?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not a monster," Naruto whispered.

"That's right. You are not a monster. You are Naruto Uzumaki; the same kind, caring and compassionate boy that I fell in love with. Don't ever question that. Just because you are a jinchuriki doesn't mean that you can't be happy too. I wouldn't have given my heart to you otherwise if I didn't already trust you with my life as I do." Sakura said, gently cupping the side of Naruto's face as her beautiful jade eyes met Naruto's cerulean ones.

The pinkette could tell her words were beginning to resonate with Naruto, as she noticed the tension in his shoulders had eased up a bit. Sakura wasn't completely satisfied though. She wanted to make her lovable idiot knew that she would always be there for him no matter what.

"After Sasuke's passing, you taught me one of the most important things that I've ever learned in my short sixteen years on this floating rock. It's also the very same thing that led me to come up with this motto. Listen closely because I want you to say it with me." Sakura said.

"It's better if we share our pain." Sakura and Naruto recited together.

"I want you to remember those words from now on whenever you find yourself in a situation like this. Got it?" Sakura asked.

"Hai." Naruto simply replied, giving the pinkette a gentle smile.

"Good. Because we are a couple now, which means you aren't in this by yourself anymore. You and I can overcome anything; as long as we do it together. Just promise that you won't shut me out like that ever again." Sakura pleaded.

"You have my word. I love you Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"I know baka. And I love you too." Sakura giggled, gently wrapping her arms around Naruto's neck as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"Are you two lovebirds done yet?" Another female voice asked.

Naruto and Sakura looked up to see Temari standing off to the side with a cheshire grin plastered across her face.

"You're one to talk Temari. Don't think for a minute that I haven't seen the way you look at Shikamaru, even despite how much you two constantly bicker like an old married couple." Sakura teased, causing the Sand kunoichi's face to turn beet red.

"So I was right about Temari and Shikamaru dating!" Naruto blurted out, only to be smacked on the back of his head the pinkette sitting next to him.

"Sakura-chan." Naruto began to whine. "Why did you have to hit me?"

"Because Temari hasn't told him how she feels yet baka. Shikamaru may be wicked smart, but he is just as stupid as you were when it comes to understanding a woman's feelings." Sakura explained.

"That's mean Sakura-chan." Naruto pouted.

"Oh, hush. I'm only stating the truth. If you weren't such a clueless idiot at times, telling you how I felt would have been much easier. Besides, I think the end result turned out pretty well for you considering you finally have me on your arm. Right?" Sakura asked, only to get a fox-like grin from Naruto in response.

"Yeah, I thought so." Sakura laughed victoriously.

"Speaking of which. How did you tell this idiot Sakura?" Temari asked.

"Let's just say that sometimes it takes a combination of both actions and words to drive it home through a man's thick-headed skull," Sakura said.

"Maybe I should do the same next time I see Shikamaru," Temari muttered inaudibly under her breath.

Shaking her head of any further thoughts concerning the troublesome Nara, Temari remembered the reason that she came to find the two lovebirds.

"Kakashi wanted me to inform you guys that we're setting up a small campfire," Temari said.

"Okay Temari, we'll be right there," Sakura replied, quickly looking back to her boyfriend. "Ready to go join the others Naruto-Kun?"

"Sure," Naruto said, smiling at his pink-haired lover as the two followed Temari back to the campfire location that the Copycat Ninja had selected.

Naruto plopped down with his back against the trunk of a nearby tree and took his jacket off to use as a makeshift blanket. Sakura curled up next to him, gently lifting up the jacket and rested her head on Naruto's shoulder. The two lovers quickly fell asleep, enjoying the warmth that they shared.

Kakashi and Temari, on the other hand, smiled at one another. The Sand kunoichi eventually drifted off to sleep herself, while Kakashi stayed on watch.

XXXX

The sun was just beginning to appear over the horizon when the four shinobi finally reached the outskirts of Suna. They had been on the road for a few days now, only stopping once when a sandstorm forced them to seek shelter not long after entering Wind Country.

Upon reaching the entrance to the Village Hidden in the Sand, two guards were waiting for them and began to fill in Temari about the events of the Akatsuki attack as they raced in the direction of Suna's hospital.

"What?!" Temari shouted. "The Akatsuki got Kankuro too?"

"Yes. Kankuro pursued the Akatsuki attackers by himself immediately following Gaara's abduction. He returned to the village, badly wounded and poisoned by the enemy." The Sand shinobi explained.

"Where is Kankuro now?" Temari asked.

"He's still at the hospital. Lady Chiyo has been trying to find an antidote for the poison, but no luck so far." The Sand ninja replied.

"We'd better hurry then, Temari," Sakura said to the Sand kunoichi. "I'll take a look at him."

Temari nodded back in response, as they made their way to the hospital.

(10 minutes later…)

Finally arriving at Kankuro's hospital room, Sakura and Temari raced in while throwing down their backpacks. Naruto and Kakashi were right behind them.

That's when an old lady standing next to Kankuro gives Kakashi a strange look as if she has seen or knows him from somewhere.

'White hair, green Jounin jacket... there's no mistaking it. That man is the Leaf's White Fang.' Chiyo thought as the pieces fell into place.

The Suna elder begins to charge in the direction of Naruto and Kakashi.

"Revenge at last!" Chiyo cries out while in midair, preparing to strike down who she thought was her son's killer.

Naruto sees the incoming attack and moves to intercept. He quickly produces a Shadow Clone to assist him in blocking her attack. The blonde struggles to push her back at first, but finally is able to get Chiyo to back off.

"What the heck do you think you're doing attacking Kakashi-sensei like that you old bag?" Naruto shouted.

Ignoring the blonde jinchuurik's comment, Chiyo still has Kakashi in her crosshairs. "I haven't forgotten what you did. I've waited a long time for this day, White Fang of the Leaf. Today is the day I finally get revenge for what you did to my son." Chiyo shouted.

Just as Chiyo is about to move and strike once again, her brother Ebizou steps in and holds up a hand, motioning for her to stop.

"Take a closer look older sister." Ebizou said.

"Huh?" Chiyo asks in confusion.

"It's true that there is a remarkable resemblance, but this is just a case of mistaken identity. Konoha's White Fang died many years ago." Ebizou elaborated.

"Do you take me for that much of a fool Ebizou? I was just pretending to be stupid." Chiyo cackles as she breaks into a fit of laughter.

Everyone else in the room has a look of disbelief on their face save for Kakashi, who sweatdrops a bit. The brief moment of silence that was short-lived however as Kankuro began to howl in pain.

"Mind if I take a look at him?" Sakura asked.

"Please do Sakura." Temari replied.

Sakura nodded, quickly springing into action as she pulled her hair back and entered medic-nin mode.

"Kakashi-sensei, Naruto-kun, please wait outside with the Suna advisors. I need to exam Kankuro first to determine what type of poison was used before I can begin any treatment." Sakura said.

"Got it. Good luck Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"Thanks Naruto-kun." Sakura said while giving him a brief wink that caused a light blush to appear on the blonde's cheeks.

Once seated outside on the bench next to his sensei and the Suna elders, Naruto watched in awe as his girlfriend worked. Seeing the pinkette take control of the situation was nothing short of amazing to the lovestruck jinchuriki. Naruto couldn't help but be proud of how far she had come.

'I can't believe that she learned all this in just three years. Granny Tsunade would be proud of how well she's handling the current situation, staying cool and calm while working to extract the poison from Kankuro with this much pressure on her shoulders right now. Sakura-chan is amazing. Words can't even begin to describe how proud I am of her.' Naruto thought to himself.

When Naruto noticed that the procedure was finally over, he ran into the hospital room and lifted his girlfriend off the floor, spinning her around a bit.

"Naruto-kun please put me down! You're going to make me dizzy." Sakura squealed in excitement.

Placing Sakura back on the ground, Naruto beamed at his girlfriend with pride. "I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but I couldn't help myself. You were amazing. I never knew that medical ninjutsu could do something like that."

"Thanks Naruto-kun." Sakura smiled. "It's a bit too soon to be celebrating though, as Kankuro isn't out of the woods just yet. I need to create an antidote to make sure that any remaining traces of the toxin are removed from his system."

"I haven't seen such careful and precise handiwork in years. You remind me of that slug girl Tsunade. Don't you think it's a bit strange though that a Leaf ninja is here to assist us?" Lady Chiyo chimed in.

"With all due respect Lady Chiyo, I was personally asked by my master to come here and offer any assistance I could provide. I have been personally training under Lady Tsunade for the past three years to learn medical ninjutsu." Sakura boasted proudly.

"So that explains why you were able to detect the poison compound so quickly when I had no such luck. Your master believe it or not is the only person who has ever been able to create an antidote for every poison that I created. It's good to see that Kankuro is in the capable hands of such a gifted medical kunoichi." Lady Chiyo said.

"Thank you for the kind words Lady Chiyo. If you'll excuse me, I need to get to work on that antidote as quickly as possible." Sakura said

"Of course not dear. I should be the one thanking you." Lady Chiyo replied while giving Sakura a faint smile.

"I'll be back in a bit Naruto-kun." Sakura said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before exiting the room with a few members of the medical staff.

After they were gone, Naruto went over to join his sensei, who was currently chatting with Baki.

"Thank you for coming to our aid so quickly Kakashi." Baki said.

"Of course Baki. So what can you tell us about the Akatsuki attack? One of the guards that led us here said Kankuro was the first to pursue. Has anything additional been done to ascertain the Kazekage's current position? " The Copycat Ninja inquired.

"Yes. We sent out a tracking team not long after Kankuro left, but they have yet to contact us with their findings. In addition, one of the other village chiefs has mysteriously vanished. I fear that the tracking unit and the village chief are likely dead." Baki explained.

"In other words, you guys have no solid leads to follow." Kakashi stated, getting a simple nod from Baki who had a look of disappointment on his face.

"Forgive me for intruding Lord Baki,but Kankuro is now awake." A member of the medical staff said.

"Thank you." Baki replied, as he, Kakashi and Naruto joined everyone else around the operating table.

"Kankuro, are you alright?" Temari asked with concern evident in her tone.

"You're back sooner than expected Temari. Sorry to make you worry." Kankuro groggily replied as he tried to gain his bearings.

"Don't be a fool. I have every reason to be concerned about the well-being of my brothers." Temari said.

"So you heard the news about Gaara then?" Kankuro asked.

"Yes. I was on my way home a few days ago, when Team Kakashi of the Leaf stopped me. Their Hokage, Lady Tsunade, dispatched them here to assist us in the search for Gaara."

"I see." Kankuro said, his eyes widening a bit as they made contact with a familiar face.

'Hideous orange & black jumpsuit, three whisker marks on each cheek, blonde hair.' Kankuro thought to himself for a minute, when the pieces finally clicked into place. 'That's Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who defeated my brother during the Sand-Sound invasion. If memory serves correct, he's also the same boy who convinced Gaara to turn his own life around and gave him something to aspire for.'

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Naruto." Kankuro said, getting the blonde jinchuriki to look his way.

"Yeah, too long Kankuro." Naruto replied, extending his right hand to shake with Kankuro.

"You've definitely matured since the last time we saw each other. And grown too." Kankuro grinned. "Nevertheless, I'm glad you are one of the shinobi that Lady Tsunade sent to assist us. You are the reason Gaara worked so hard to become Kazekage. He said it was your display of courage when you faced off against one another, doing anything to protect those you care about that made him desire to attain something similar."

"I'm glad that I was able to help him find a purpose." Naruto said.

"Before you go, I have one request to ask of you Naruto. Please do whatever it takes to bring my little brother home." Kankuro begged.

"Count on it!" Naruto replied.

"Kankuro do you have anything that might assist us in tracking your brother's kidnappers?" Kakashi chimed in.

"You're in luck Kakashi. When I was battling one of the Akatsuki members, who just so happened to be a puppet user like myself, I cut a small piece of cloth covering his face." Kankuro replied.

"Just what I would expect of a Sand shinobi of your caliber Kankuro. Not going down without a fight." Kakashi said, earning a grin from Kankuro.

"Baki, were my puppets recovered when I was found?" Kankuro asked.

"Yes." Baki answered.

"Good. I need you to bring Crow here immediately. That puppet contains the piece of cloth with the puppet user's scent on it." Kankuro disclosed.

"At once." Baki replied.

A little while later, Baki returned with a few other Sand shinobi that were carrying the puppet Kankuro had requested. Kankuro opened Crow's hand using one of his chakra strings, revealing the same piece of cloth he had told Kakashi about.

"There it is Kakashi. Sorry I can't be of more help beyond that." Kankuro apologized.

"No worries. I can handle it from here." Kakashi said.

"Summoning Jutsu" Kakashi shouted, causing a large cloud of smoke to form in the room.

As it began to clear, a group of Eight Ninja Hounds sat there before the Copycat Ninja.

"Eight Ninja Hounds at your service. To what do I owe the pleasure this time Kakashi?" Pakkun asked.

"Hey Pakkun. I need your help tracking the scent of someone that kidnapped the Kazekage. Please follow the scent on this piece of cloth." Kakashi replied, kneeling down to present the piece of close to his animal summons.

As the Ninja hounds took a moment to become familiar with the Akatsuki member's scent, all but Pakkun took off in different directions in hopes of locating the culprit.

"We'll let you know immediately if we have found something." Pakkun said, quickly making his exit to partake in the search for Gaara.

"So what do we do now sensei?" Naruto asked.

"We'll have to sit tight for now Naruto. Pakkun and the other Ninja Hounds need time to properly conduct a thorough search of the surrounding area, hopefully giving us an exact location as to where Gaara was taken. Don't forget that your girlfriend is also working on an antidote for Kankuro. And if I were to guess, once Sakura finds a cure, she'll probably be preparing some additional doses should we run into the Akatsuki members responsible for abducting the Kazekage. Does that sound reasonable?" Kakashi inquired.

"Hai." Naruto replied halfheartedly.

"I understand that you want to reach Gaara as soon as possible, but we need to be patient and create our plan of attack accordingly once the intelligence is solid enough to go on. You have my word that I will do everything I can to help you save him." Kakashi reassured.

"Thanks sensei." Naruto said, giving his former teacher a weak smile.

XXXX

It was finally early evening when Sakura returned with the antidote. The pink-haired kunoichi had been in Suna's greenhouse all afternoon, gathering the necessary medicinal herbs she needed. Sakura was amazed that Suna had such a wide assortment of herbs considering that their village was located in the middle of the desert..

Once Sakura had everything she needed, she began grind the herbs into a fine powder and mixed the ingredients together with a liquid to create an antidote that she hoped would cure any remaining sides effects of the poison that she extracted earlier from Kankuro.

When the antidote was finally ready, Sakura took a small amount out of the beaker using a dropper and carefully let a single droplet make contact with the poison. A few seconds later, the poison on the scroll disappeared. The pinkette along with the two members of Suna's medical staff assisting her all breathed a sigh of relief.

Sakura wasted no time, quickly making her way back to Kankuro's hospital room. As she administered the antidote, the pinkette instructed Kankuro to drink slowly and consume the beverage in its entirety.

Just as he finishes drinking the antidote, Kankuro begins to cough a bit before finally regaining his bearings.

"The antidote should help clear your system of any remaining traces of the toxin. Relax and try to take it easy for a while until the side effects such as numbness have gone away."

"Thank you Sakura. I owe you a great debt for saving Kankuro." Temari said.

"No need to thank me Temari, I was more than happy to help. It's what I trained under Lady Tsunade to do for the last three years." Sakura said.

"Seeing you guys are going to be waiting around for a bit Kakashi while your Ninja Hounds search for traces of Gaara and the Akatsuki, I've taken the liberty of preparing a few rooms for you to relax and rest. Two of you will have to share though." Baki clarified.

"I'll take the room with Naruto." Sakura spoke up.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Sakura?" Her mask-wearing sensei asked.

"Why wouldn't it be sensei?" Sakura fired back, glaring at her sensei with daggers in her eyes. "Naruto and I are in a relationship now and we've known each other for years, which alleviates the awkwardness that other couples might feel."

"Very well. I trust your judgement on the matter." Kakashi sighed, reluctantly agreeing to Sakura's reasoning.

"Arigato sensei." Sakura said, turning her attention to the blonde standing next to her. "Come on baka."

"Ow!" Naruto yelped as the pinkette took hold of his arm with her ironclad grip just as she had the previous night. "Where are we going Sakura-chan?"

"First of all, to grab something to eat. I've been working my butt off all day to treat Kankuro and my gut won't stop growling." Sakura pointed out.

"You mean like a date Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked eagerly in excitement.

"Yes baka. We can dine wherever you want, but no ramen!" Sakura emphasized.

Instead of protesting as he normally would, Naruto surprised Sakura by doing something that could only come from Konoha's Number One Most Unpredictable Ninja.

"I have a better idea Sakura-chan. Seeing I got to choose on our first date, I'm going to let you decide where you want to eat tonight. My treat." Naruto said.

"Why the sudden change Naruto? I thought you were going to put up a fuss when I said ramen was off the negotiating table." Sakura said.

"Gee, Sakura-chan. Can't a guy treat his girl out for all the hard work she put in today?" The blonde jinchuriki asked.

"You're sweet Naruto-kun." Sakura replied while blushing a bit from his praise. "Fine, I'll take you up on that offer."

"Awesome. I'm ready whenever you are, my beautiful cherry blossom." Naruto complimented.

Sakura's cheeks heated up a bit more, turning a scarlet red upon hearing Naruto's new nickname for her come up once again. The pinkette decided to reward her boyfriend by whispering something seductive into his ear. "That's going to earn you some brownie points with me for later."

It was Naruto's turn for his face to light up a bright shade of red. Sakura giggled and proceeded to exited the room hand-in-hand with her blonde idiot following behind her like a lost puppy dog.

XXXX

After leaving the hospital, Naruto and Sakura went off in search of an eating establishment to enjoy dinner together. The young couple had found a nice sushi restaurant just a few blocks away from the hospital.

A few hours later after their date, Naruto and Sakura returned to their hotel room, exhausted and ready to crash for the night.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Hm?" Sakura hummed in response.

"What's our sleeping arrangements going to be like? Personally, I think you should have the bed considering how hard you worked to save Kankuro. I'm more than happy to take the floor."

Sakura was touched by Naruto's kind gesture, but she had no intention of allowing her boyfriend to sleep on the cold floor.

"That's very gentlemanly of you Naruto-kun, but you and I are going to sleep on the bed together tonight." Sakura rationalized.

"Are you serious Sakura-chan? I don't want to do anything that's going to make you uncomfortable." Naruto scrambled, panicking a bit at his girlfriend's bold move.

"Like I said to Kakashi-sensei earlier, you and I have known each other for a long time now. I understand your hesitation, given how new this relationship is for both of us. At the end of the day though, I trust you my lovable baka, more than anyone else in the world." Sakura said, giving the blonde a warm smile.

"If you insist Sakura-chan." Naruto said in defeat.

"Good!" Sakura chirped happily. "I'm going to take a shower first because I'm all gross and sweaty."

"You'll always be beautiful to me no matter how you look Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"Geez Naruto, you really need to dial it back a notch with those corny compliments." Sakura teased.

"Oh come on Sakura-chan. I know you like being complimented, especially when it comes to that large forehead of yours." Naruto playfully jabbed, before leaning into to plant a soft kiss on his girlfriend's wonderful forehead.

"Well played baka." Sakura said. "Now do you happen to have an extra t-shirt that I could borrow to sleep in?"

"Uh sure. But why?" Naruto asked curiously.

"I didn't pack any nightclothes." Sakura replied shyly.

Naruto nodded and began to rummage through his backpack. He tossed a black t-shirt with the Uzumaki crest on it to his girlfriend.

"Thanks Naruto. I'll be back in a bit. Promise me that you won't peek or do anything perverted while I'm in there." Sakura requested.

"Scouts honor." Naruto said while placing a hand over his heart to convey that he would keep his word.

Sakura smiled back at Naruto before entering the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

As Naruto heard the water begin to run, he laid back on the bed. Out of the blue, a certain demon fox decided to make his presence known.

"**You certainly picked a good vixen to mark as your mate." The Kyuubi said.**

"I see you've finally decided to come crawling out of the woodwork and be sociable for once, you grumpy fuzzball." Naruto retorted.

'**Quiet you ungrateful brat!' The Nine-Tails roared from behind his cage. 'I just wanted to congratulate you on finally capturing the attention of that pink-haired vixen you've always had your eyes on. So when do you plan on officially making her as yours?'**

'Would you stop being such a damn pervert? It's bad enough that I had to put up with Ero-Sennin's antics while we were on our three year training trip. Besides, Sakura-chan made it very clear that she wants to take things slow.' Naruto said.

'**Whatever you say kid. Anyway, I also wanted to say how much I admire what you're trying to do in rescuing that stupid Tanuki's host. Not one person has done that for a fellow jinchuriki in the manner that you are." The Kyuubi said.**

'Is that a compliment I heard for once coming out of the big bad Nine-Tailed Demon Fox?' Naruto jabbed.

'**Tch.' The Kyuubi scowled. 'If you're done making childish remarks, there is something I wish to ask you.'**

'What is it?' Naruto replied.

'**Why do you continue to defend me against the villagers? Those foolish mortals have made your life miserable for years, ostracizing you because of the damage I had inflicted on the night of your birth.'**** The Demon Fox asked out of genuine curiosity. **

'To be honest with you Kyuubi, I don't know. Lord Fourth was the one who sealed you inside me to stop your rampage in the village sixteen years ago. His decision was something that neither you or I could control, which raises an interesting point that I made to Neji during my fight with him in the Chunin exam finals. Neji once believed that each individual in this world is on a path predetermined at birth. Just as I told both him and Sakura-chan, I strongly disagree with that argument.' Naruto said.

'**Correct me if I'm wrong, but you believe that each person has the power to change their destiny and make it what they want it to be, right?'**** The Nine-Tails observed.**

'Hai. That's why I have continued to work my ass off and prove everyone who has ever doubted me wrong. Take Gaara for instance, or Shukaku's vessel as you call him. Gaara's brother Kankuro said that the people of Suna embraced him as their leader because he worked hard to earn the citizen's trust. I believe that maybe one day, you and I can do the same thing for the Leaf. We've made some pretty good strides so far, but I hope that as we continue to fight side-by-side, you'll eventually trust me enough to tell me your real name or something about yourself.' Naruto rationalized.

'**We shall see.' The Kyuubi said.**

'That's all I can ask.' Naruto responded.

'**Before I sever this connection, there is one last thing I wish to say.'**

"And what would that be?" Naruto asked.

'**Thank you, Naruto.' The Kyuubi said, settling down in his cage and went back to resting once again. **

'You're welcome' Naruto whispered back, snapping out of his stupor just in time to see his beautiful cherry blossom coming out of the bathroom. She was garbed in the same t-shirt that Naruto had given her earlier and her hair was now flowing freely without her hitai-ate restricting it.

Naruto began to blush like mad.

Sakura herself felt a small blush beginning to appear on either cheek, grateful that Naruto thought she looked pretty even when she was wearing one of his own baggy shirts.

"Ready for bed Naruto-Kun?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked.

"Hai," Naruto responded.

Sakura slipped under the covers and scooted in close to Naruto.

"Alright Naruto-Kun, wrap your arms around my waist," Sakura instructed.

Naruto did as he was told, carefully embracing the pinkette as he pulled her back into his chest.

"This is nice," Naruto mumbled, as he began to doze off to sleep.

Sakura smiled gently, before saying. "Whatever happens Naruto-Kun, I will be right beside you."

Naruto moaned an inaudible reply, which sounded something like goodnight.

"Sweet dreams Naruto-Kun," Sakura whispered, as she too drifted off to sleep in the warm embrace of her lover.

End Chapter 9

Alright, guys! I know this was a lot to cover and take in, but I figured I would give you all a long chapter to hold you over until the next one is ready. With that said, the Kazekage Rescue Arc is shaping up to be around another 3-4 chapter long. Once this Arc is over however, the story will begin to move into uncharted territory, meaning I plan to take it on a different path other than the events of Canon. The Akatsuki spy will finally be revealed in the next chapter, so hopefully, you guys are looking forward to discovering who it is. See you all next time!


	10. Chapter 10

Hello folks! First of all, I would like to thank you all for being patient while I finished this latest Chapter for It's Better to Share the Pain. Before we dig into the latest Chapter, I would like to take a little time to thank and address some reviews I received on the last entry I posted this past month.

GunBlade2019: I'm glad you like the story so far! One of the things I'm aiming to do in future updates/entries to this story is to have both Naruto and Sakura show more prowess than they currently are. That will probably happen a little bit later on once I have covered certain parts of the plot that I wish to tell this story.

Bsv2: Thanks for the kind words. With regards to Naruto's fight with Pein, that will come later in the story. I can't really say yet whether I'm going to have a confrontation between the two take place in the village as it did in Canon or go about it in an alternate scenario. Rest assured though that there will be a fight later on with Pein and Sakura will, of course, be the one to try and save him given that they are together now as a couple.

YeagerMeister31: I knew I kinda blew it with the whole jumpsuit color thing lol. In any case, though, there will be fights with the Akatsuki; one is this chapter and of course the one in the next against Sasori. There will be differences in both fights, particularly that of Sasori. I hope you're excited to see what I have in store for future Chapters!

Now with that out of the way, let's get onto the usual disclaimer, then reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

*If I did own Naruto, however, Sakura would've been his wife at the end of the original manga/anime. In addition, there would've been none of this Otsutsuki crap.

Chapter 10

Sakura began to stir the following morning as the natural light began to pour through the small windows of her and Naruto's hotel room. The pinkette tried to move a bit, only to find herself still in Naruto's protective embrace, warmth radiating from his body. Sakura relaxed back into the same position she found herself in when her eyes fluttered open and smiled at how peaceful the blonde was.

'Thank kami that baka hasn't lost his cool since we had that talk in the woods the other night. Guess it was a good suggestion on my part that we sleep in the same bed last night.' Sakura chuckled at the thought.

The pink-haired kunoichi was pulled back to the present as she heard a few knocks on the door to their hotel room. Sakura gently wiggled her way out of Naruto's protective arms, taking care not to wake the blonde jinchuriki as she lifted the covers off and began to walk over to the door.

Uncertain of who might be calling at this early in the day, Sakura slowly turned the knob and opened the door just enough to poke her head around the edging. Standing on the other side of the door was her sensei.

"Good morning Sakura. Hopefully, I didn't wake you or sleeping beauty too early." Kakashi joked with a dry sense of humor.

"Very funny sensei." Sakura retorted. "I just woke up a few minutes ago. Naruto is still asleep. Speaking of which, it's unusual to see you up and about this early. Does that mean you have news from Pakkun?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Pakkun returned just a little while ago to report that he has found the Akatsuki's hidden base where the One-Tails is being extracted from Gaara. I have already notified Baki and the Suna elders, who are currently discussing how they plan to deal with the situation at hand. I came to let you and Naruto know that we will be leaving within the hour." Kakashi said.

"Okay sensei, I'll go wake Naruto so we can get dressed and have a bite to eat beforehand," Sakura replied.

"Meet me downstairs in about forty-five minutes." The Copycat Ninja said before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Sakura quietly closed the door behind her and let out a deep as she turned around to look back at the sleeping form of her boyfriend, snoring away on the bed.

The hyperactive blonde had since rolled onto his back, his arms sloppily hanging on either side. It was almost as if Naruto was trying to extend an invitation for the conniving pink-haired kunoichi to cook up a mischievous way to wake him up. Sadly for Naruto, his girlfriend was already on the prowl and ready to strike.

'Oh, that'll get him up alright' The pinkette thought as she quietly closed in on the bed like a wolf stalking its prey.

Sakura jumped into the air, landing atop Naruto with a loud squeak emanating from the springs of the mattress as she made contact with her intended target.

Naruto's eyes shot open in response, surprised to see his pink-haired girlfriend laying on top of him whilst giggling.

"Good morning Naruto-Kun. Sleep well?" Sakura laughed.

"I was until you decided to abruptly wake me up." Naruto groaned, causing Sakura to frown.

"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me?" Sakura pouted.

"Ease up Sakura-chan, I was only teasing you. To be perfectly honest though, that was the best night of I've gotten in quite some time. Maybe we could do it a bit more often." Naruto yawned contently.

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself baka. As much as I enjoyed sleeping in the same bed next to my own personal furnace last night, I meant it when I said that we should take things slow. While it is true that we've known each other for years, being in an intimate relationship is on a whole other level compared to just being friends." Sakura said.

"In any case though, I'm sorry that I had to wake you up so early. Kakashi-sensei just stopped by a few minutes ago to let us know that we're gonna be heading out within the hour, so you need to get up and dressed. Once you're ready, we can grab something for breakfast if you want." Sakura suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that Sakura-chan. Why don't you go get changed in the bathroom so you can have some privacy? I'll get a fresh change of clothes out of my bag."

"What's the matter Naruto? Can't handle the sight of a naked woman?" Sakura jabbed, laughing as her boyfriend sat there with his jaw hanging.

"Must you be such a tease?" Naruto whined.

"It's your own fault that you're so easy," Sakura replied, playfully sticking her tongue out.

After Sakura had disappeared into the bathroom to get changed, Naruto couldn't help but smirk.

'Pervy Sage was right. Women always get the last word in. At least I've got the one I always wanted.' The blonde thought as he too began to get dressed for the long day ahead.

XXXX

After getting changed, Naruto and Sakura went to a small bakery to grab a few pastries for breakfast. Due to being pressed for time, the couple wolfed down their edibles and quickly made their way back to the meeting spot in front of the hotel. The two were surprised that their sensei was actually on time again.

"Okay. Who are you and what have you done with the real Kakashi-sensei? Because the masked pervert that I know is never on time for anything, always coming up with some flimsy and lame excuse." Naruto joked.

"Nice of you two to finally show up." Kakashi kidded in response.

"So Sakura-chan told me while we were eating breakfast that Pakkun found where the Akatsuki took Gaara. Is that true?" The blonde inquired.

"Yes. Their base is on the border of River Country. We will be leaving as soon as our backup from the Hidden Sand arrives." Kakashi said.

"Understood." The jinchuriki and his pink-haired girlfriend replied.

"It may please you to know that Lady Tsunade has sent some reinforcements as well. Team Gai is currently on its way to assist. Pakkun should be linking up with them anytime now if he hasn't already. We are to rendezvous with them at the Akatsuki lair." Kakashi added.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting," Temari called out with a group of various Sand ninja standing behind her.

"Looks like everyone is here. Shall we be off?" Kakashi asked nonchalantly.

"Just a minute Kakashi." Baki interrupted, quickly turning his attention to the eldest of the Three Sand Siblings. "Where do you think you are going Temari?"

"I rounded up a small group of our best shinobi to aid Team Kakashi in the search for Gaara," Temari said.

"Well regretfully, I will have to ask you to stand down," Baki said.

"But Baki…" Temari began to object.

"I'm sorry Temari, but these are the orders from 'above'. The council has asked that you and the others remain here in the village and patrol the border. Their reasoning is if it becomes widely known that the Kazekage is absent, there's no telling when other villages may try to use that information to their advantage and attack us while we're still vulnerable." Baki explained.

"That is all the more reason we should rescue Gaara as soon as possible. Team Kakashi came all this way to assist us. What's the point if we, the Sand people, don't go to save him!?" Temari asked, seething with anger.

"My apologies Temari, but the council has made their decision. Besides, another Sand shinobi has appointed herself to assist Team Kakashi in the rescue of Gaara."

"Well if it isn't us, then who will be representing the Sand?" Temari inquired, still seething with anger for the council's decision.

"I am." An older woman's voice called out from atop a nearby building.

Everyone looks up in the direction of the nearby rooftop to find Lady Chiyo standing on the edge of the railing.

"Granny Chiyo?" Temari asked in shock, giving her former sensei a look of disbelief. "Baki you can't be serious? Granny Chiyo is a retired council member."

"Don't treat me like some helpless old woman Temari. I've still got plenty of oomph in these old bones." Chiyo says, before jumping off the roof and lands on the ground with a light thud.

Sakura and Naruto gawked at the old woman's behavior.

"I personally requested to join the rescue mission after I heard Kankuro say that my grandson had a hand in Gaara's abduction. Not only am I the one who taught him the art of puppetry, but I know much of my darling grandson's habits, strategies, attack patterns, etc. That intelligence will surely come in handy against such an unfamiliar opponent to you three."

"Any knowledge or expertise you can provide is a welcome offer Lady Chiyo," Kakashi said respectfully.

"Thank you, Kakashi," Chiyo said.

"Fine," Temari grumbled, finally conceding defeat as she knew putting up any additional opposition would be pointless. The Sand kunoichi turned to Naruto to make one last request before the group before they departed. "I am putting my faith in you guys, especially you Naruto. Bring him home."

"I will Temari." Naruto smiled confidently.

Team Kakashi and Lady Chiyo exchanged their final goodbyes with the other Sand shinobi before taking off in the direction of the Land of Rivers.

XXXX

A few hours had passed since Team Kakashi had departed from the Sand in the company of Lady Chiyo. Naruto and Sakura were sprinting from one tree limb to another side-by-side. The pink-haired kunoichi had asked hey boyfriend to maintain a slow but steady pace so the rest of the group could keep pace with him. Naruto was reluctant at first but quickly agreed when Sakura threatened to whack him on the back of the head.

Kakashi and Lady Chiyo were maintaining a safe distance not too far behind the young couple. The journey into the Land of Rivers had been rather quiet as each member of the group knew that Gaara's life was riding on the line right now. Lady Chiyo was the one who finally broke that silence.

"I must say that you have some intriguing students Kakashi. If you don't mind an old woman prying a bit, why is Naruto so desperate to save Gaara? We are from different villages." The old puppeteer inquired.

"That's because Naruto is a jinchuriki as well. More specifically, he contains the Nine-Tailed Fox." Kakashi boldly stated, causing Chiyo's eyes to widen.

"Saving Gaara is important to Naruto because it isn't just an alliance that was born from their friendship. Gaara is much more than just an ally and a friend to Naruto. He is someone who knows the same pain and hardship that Naruto endured growing up. Though they started out as foes during the Sand-Sound Invasion three years ago, Naruto quickly befriended Gaara with just a handful of words, quickly bonding over their similar experiences as a child. This is why it doesn't matter which village he is from or not." Kakashi added.

"That explains why Kankuro and Temari hold Naruto in such high regard. Sakura seems quite close to Naruto as well. From what I could gather based on observing the two yesterday at the hospital, would it be fair to assume that they're in a romantic relationship?" Chiyo inquires, getting a nod from Kakashi.

"I must say that I'm quite surprised to see someone so close to a jinchuriki in such a capacity given how they have normally been viewed across the five great nations." Chiyo pointed out.

"Well, information on the Nine-Tails in the Leaf is normally top-secret among the younger generation, so only a handful of people know the truth about what happened sixteen years ago. Most of those old enough to remember the events that transpired that fateful night resent Naruto because they see him as the beast that wrought so much havoc upon our village. The fact that my students are in a relationship isn't the only reason why Sakura knows so much about the beast Naruto carries. What brought Naruto and Sakura closer was the loss of their teammate three years ago." Kakashi began.

"You see Lady Chiyo, the third member of Team 7 tried to defect from our village to seek out Orochimaru of the Sannin. Naruto was able to catch up with him and an epic battle ensued between them, resulting in our third squad member's death. It was during that time after his passing in which Naruto and Sakura grew close. As the two spent more and more time with one another, they began to heal not just the physical wounds, but the emotional scars as well." Kakashi explained.

Chiyo is saddened a bit Kakashi's story. Sakura reminded the aging Suna elder a bit of herself when she was younger. Qualities such as ambition, drive, passion. These were things that the retired Suna council member had forgotten.

'I can only hope that Sakura is prepared should the Nine-Tails be extracted from Naruto. That poor girl's soul would shatter if she knew what happens.' Chiyo thought.

As the four-man cell continued on their path to the Land of Rivers, none of them knew that they were being watched.

XXXX

Meanwhile at the Akatsuki hideout

"Another team from the Hidden Leaf is closing in on our location. They are lead by Kakashi of the Sharingan." Zetsu said.

'Kakashi? If he's en route to rescue the Kazekage, then that means Naruto must be with him. It's time to make contact as Master Jiraiya instructed. Itachi thought.

"Are there any volunteers to greet our esteemed guests?" Pain inquired.

"Please allow me to deal with them leader," Itachi spoke up.

"Very well Itachi. We will use that Jutsu. You and Kisame must provide thirty percent of your chakra for the technique to be successful." Pain said.

XXXX

Back with Team Kakashi

Coming up on a clearing just outside of the dense forest, Kakashi was leading the group and his uncovered eye caught a glimpse of someone he had not seen in three years. Not since the day that this same individual tried to enter the Leaf and kidnap Naruto.

"Everybody stop!" Kakashi shouts.

Standing in the middle of the clearing was a lone figure wearing a black cloak with red and white clouds strewn across it. He had a pair of traditional shinobi sandals and his long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Perhaps the most striking feature, however, was the individual's hitai-ate. At the very heart of the metal piece in the center of the cloth, was the emblem of the Leaf with a line stricken across, signifying the former Leaf shinobi's status as a rogue nin.

"Who is that?" Sakura asked.

'This makes no sense. For Itachi to appear out of the blue is no coincidence. The Akatsuki knew we were coming, which means they had someone watching our movements. If I were to guess, Itachi's sudden appearance is clearly meant to stall for time. Something about this just doesn't add up.' Kakashi rationalized in his mind.

"Itachi Uchiha," Naruto growled.

Itachi stood there motionless as a gentle breeze blew the locks of hair hanging on either side of his face. The Sharingan was already active in both eyes.

'So that's Sasuke's older brother.' Sakura thought.

"It's been a long time; Kakashi, Naruto," Itachi stated.

'His Sharingan is the same as Sasuke's was. So this is the man our teammate was so determined to kill. And if he's wearing that robe, it means Itachi is part of the Akatsuki, the same group after Naruto. There is no way I'm going to let that bastard take Naruto from me.' Sakura thought as she narrowed her eyes at Itachi.

"It wasn't enough for you huh!? You had to go after Gaara as well." Naruto spat angrily.

As Itachi begins to lift one of his hands, Kakashi takes notice and scrambles to warn everyone of Itachi's genjutsu. "Don't look him in the eyes. Itachi's Jutsu is a Visual Genjutsu. In other words, it's a type where one gets caught by his sight, so we'll be fine as long as we avoid eye contact with him."

"That doesn't seem like it's an easy thing to do," Sakura said.

"You're right Sakura. Itachi possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan, which is a much stronger Visual Jutsu than an ordinary Sharingan. If you receive his Visual Jutsu, then you will experience his Genjutsu in a second. Even if it may seem like a second to others, the person who receives the Jutsu will feel it for hours or days. I was on the receiving end of it once when I learned that Itachi and his partner had snuck into the Hidden Leaf to kidnap Naruto. I roamed around in his Jutsu for three days and lost consciousness for over a week." Kakashi began.

"I'm impressed Kakashi. You seem to know quite a bit more about my Sharingan since our last encounter." Itachi replied.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg Itachi. I also learned that after you used your Mangekyou Sharingan too much, you were left quite exhausted. Why else would you end the battle and make your escape in such a short duration of time? The answer is simple. The longer you use your Mangekyou Sharingan, the more chakra it uses." Kakashi went on further to explain.

"It actually makes me curious to find out just how much damage has been done to your eyes," Kakashi says, lifting his hitai-ate to reveal the eye containing his own Sharingan.

"So what's the plan Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Don't rush him head-on. Stay back with Sakura and cover me." Kakashi ordered.

"Hai," Naruto replied.

"It's time you came with me, Naruto," Itachi says, lifting his hand with one finger pointing directly at Naruto.

"Me first," Kakashi says, charging head-on to attack Itachi.

"Shit! A Shadow Clone." Kakashi curses, as he a copy of Itachi sprint right past him.

Anticipating the move, Naruto had already prepared a Rasengan. quickly rushed to intercept Itachi's incoming attack.

"Rasengan!" Naruto shouts.

As the blue sphere of chakra makes an impact with its target, 'Itachi' explodes in a poof of smoke.

"Damn! Another Shadow Clone!" Naruto yelled in frustration.

As the smoke begins to dissipate, Naruto finds himself floating in the air of a strange distorted space. The sky above has changed to an orange color filled with a somewhat darker tint of orange-colored clouds floating overhead. The color of the trees below him has become more of a bright pink. What strikes Naruto as the strangest thing however is the numerous crows flying around.

"Dammit. I didn't even look into his eyes and Itachi still managed to trap me in his genjutsu. Just how did he do it?" Naruto cursed to himself.

"That's because I only need one finger to cast a Genjutsu." Itachi's voice called out.

Naruto took a moment to take in his surroundings, trying to look for the smallest detail that might lend a clue as to Itachi's location. Sadly the blonde had no such luck.

'I hear Itachi's voice, but I don't see hair nor hide of him. What the heck is going on?' Naruto thought to himself.

The jinchuriki was pulled out of thought as he heard the sound of crows cawing, noticing that several crows had now begun to circle around him. Naruto tries to brush the crows away using his arms but is shocked when some of them begin to converge together, forming a figure of Itachi.

"So you finally decided to show your face instead of hiding behind illusions. I know exactly what you're after Itachi. It'll be a cold day in hell when I let you take me as you did with Gaara." Naruto insinuated.

"Your resilience is admirable Naruto, but there is no need to put up a fight. I am not here for the Nine-Tails." Itachi calmly replied.

"If you aren't here for the Kyuubi, then just what the hell do you want with me?" Naruto shouted, his patience wearing thin with each passing second.

"I placed you in a genjutsu so that we could talk alone, as What I have to say is meant for your ears only right now," Itachi said.

"Why should I believe a word you say Itachi? The last time we met, you were trying to capture me with that shark freak partner of yours. Pervy Sage told me all about the group you're affiliated with and the reason why you bastards are hunting people like Gaara and me. You're also the reason why I had to kill my best friend." Naruto accused angrily.

"I heard the news of Sasuke's death. I'm very sorry you had to go through such a traumatic experience Naruto. How did it happen?" The rogue Uchiha inquired.

"I killed Sasuke during a clash with him in the Final Valley. It was during the Chunin exams that Sasuke's descent from grace began. You see Itachi, that teme Orochimaru placed a curse mark on your brother's neck. Despite Kakashi-sensei's best efforts to help keep the effects of the Curse Mark at bay, your brother left the village to train under Orochimaru so he could become more powerful. His desire to get revenge and kill you after having to witness the slaughter of the entire Uchiha clan drove him mad. Orochimaru promised Sasuke power when in reality he wanted him for nothing more than his body and the Sharingan. I did everything I could to try and convince Sasuke to return to the village so we could grow stronger together, but he still wouldn't listen. The only way to get through to him was by fighting him." Naruto explained, tears forming in his eyes from having to recall the very fight in which he killed his former best friend.

"I see. Thank you for telling me about what happened to my brother, Naruto. You may not believe me when I say this, but I'm grateful that Sasuke had a friend like you to the very end." Itachi humbly responded.

"Save your pity." Naruto spat back with a lace of venom in his tone.

"I understand that you still harbor some resentment toward me. You are angry Naruto and have every right to be, but time is of the essence right now. There is still a chance you can save your friend before the One-Tailed beast is fully extracted." Itachi said, maintaining his calm facade despite inwardly being saddened by the loss of his own brother whom he had done so much to protect.

Naruto gave Itachi a puzzled look before saying, "Why are you talking like that Itachi? You are supposed to be hunting the Tailed-Beasts, yet your words suggest something else entirely. Just what the hell is going on?"

"I have a lot of explaining to do Naruto, but that will have to wait for a later time. Master Jiraiya was the one who instructed me to meet up with you when the right opportunity presented itself. He did say you were to make contact with his spy at some point during your mission. Is that not correct?" Itachi inquired.

"Yes, but you couldn't have known that unless..." Naruto said, cutting himself off as the realization finally dawned on him. The blonde wanted to smack himself being so stupid as to not put two and two together in understanding Itachi's reason for being here.

"You're Pervy Sage's informant?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"If you are referring to Master Jiraiya, then yes. I am his contact." Itachi replied calmly.

"Then what's up with the rouse? Why are you masquerading as a member of the Akatsuki if you're really one of Pervy Sage's spies?" Naruto questioned.

"I joined the Akatsuki to gather information on the group and their intentions after the Uchiha massacre eleven years ago. In the days leading up to that, a strange man that had once appeared during my early days as a Genin resurfaced, offering his assistance to help a friend and I slaughter the Uchiha clan before their coup d'etat could take shape. As I stated before, we will have to discuss this in more detail at a later time. The reason I am here is to help you gain access to the hideout where the One-Tailed beast is currently being extracted as we speak." Itachi clarified.

"Alright Itachi, I'm listening. Once this mission is done however, you better tell me the truth and I mean everything." Naruto said.

"You have my word Naruto. Now the Akatsuki lair where the Kazekage is being held is guarded by a Five Barrier Seal. One is covering the door and the other four are located nearby. I must warn you Naruto, each seal must be removed at precisely the exact same time. In addition, the other four seals will trigger a trap that creates a nearly identical replica of the individual who removes the seal. After the seals have been removed, you will need to find a way to break the door blocking entry. Understood?" The Uchiha asked.

"Hai." Naruto simply replied.

"Good. Looks like our time is just about up. Your teammate and the Suna elder are about to release you from the Genjutsu. Once you are free Naruto, I need you to destroy this body as quickly as you can." Itachi laid out.

"But won't that kill you?" Naruto scrutinized.

"No. The Akatsuki leader possesses a shapeshifting technique that can allocate a portion of my chakra to a living human sacrifice. I am controlling this body remotely from a different location, which is why I cannot use my Mangekyou Sharingan right now. While the technique creates an identical copy with the same Kekkei Genkai, it only grants me access to thirty percent of my own chakra. The Mangekyou Sharingan requires a considerable amount to activate and maintain advanced Dojutsu. Each additional technique I use will drain even more of my chakra." Itachi elaborated.

"I understand," Naruto replied.

Itachi gives Naruto a small smile and nods. "Good luck Naruto. And if you can, try to make it appear as though you know nothing. I would like to keep my cover intact until this sacrificial body has been defeated."

Just as his conversation with Itachi ends, Naruto felt chakra flowing into him. He looked from side-to-side to see Sakura and Lady Chiyo have indeed broken him from the Genjutsu just as Itachi stated they would.

"You okay Naruto? " Sakura asked.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, trying to play dumb so he could avoid arousing suspicion of Itachi's true purpose for being here.

"Itachi had placed you in a Genjutsu, so Lady Chiyo and I pumped some of our chakra into your system to break you free from it. Don't you remember anything that happened?" His girlfriend queried.

"No." The blonde replied.

"You better get a grip on yourself Naruto. I'm going to need your help if we stand a chance to reach Gaara in time." Kakashi stated.

Sakura glanced over to see that her boyfriend is still dazed despite having been released from Itachi's Genjutsu. She brought a hand up to the side of his face in hopes it would help him get a grip on the situation. "Focus Naruto-Kun. I'm right beside you. Let's take Itachi down, together."

Naruto's blue eyes met Sakura's jade ones. "Thanks Sakura-chan."

Sakura just flashed him a small smile whilst she began to reach for the pair of black leather gloves in her pouch and slipped them on.

"Ready when you are sensei," Naruto shouted.

The silver-haired Jounin shot a quick nod back at his students and Lady Chiyo. "Good. I want you and Sakura to follow my lead. Wait for the right opportunity to strike. Don't be afraid to think quick on your feet like you normally do, but work in unison with Sakura and me. Kakashi says as he begins to charge at Itachi.

Itachi on the other hand quickly waved through a few hand signs.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Itachi shouted, causing a barrage of fireballs spread across the field.

Kakashi dodged each of them, as he began to close in on the rogue nin.

"Get ready everyone. Here comes the next attack!" Kakashi shouted. "Sakura, I want you to use the same defensive tactic to counter just as you did the other night during your test with Naruto. I'm going to use that opening as a means to shut Itachi's eyes down."

"Hai," Sakura replied, running through the hand signs.

"Fire Release: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Itachi says, causing a large fireball to begin barreling straight for Naruto, Sakura and Lady Chiyo.

"Water Release: Water Wall." The pink-haired kunoichi yelled, timing her Water jutsu perfectly to counter Itachi's Fire Style technique.

Naruto, Sakura, and Lady Chiyo use the opening to make their escape and regroup in the woods nearby.

When the three reached a safe distance from the clearing where Itachi still stood, they found themselves surrounded by a thick fog covering the battlefield and surrounding area.

"What's going on? Is this another one of Itachi's Genjutsu?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"No. This is Kakashi's Hidden Mist jutsu. Don't forget Sakura that Kakashi was planning on using the opening created by your defensive Water technique to prevent Itachi from using Genjutsu once again as he did on Naruto." Lady Chiyo pointed out.

"You hit the nail right on the head, Lady Chiyo." Kakashi voiced called out, causing the three to look up.

"Kakashi-sensei? How are you here if Itachi's still out in the clearing?" Naruto asked.

"Simple. I left a few Shadow Clones to keep Itachi distracted." Kakashi said nonchalantly as he sat down to devise a plan with his students.

"So what's the plan sensei?" Naruto inquired.

"Well, Sakura has a strong quality/trait for countering Genjutsu. I also talked with Gai about how he learned to fight against me without looking at my Sharingan, so the two of us would be bested suited to fight Itachi in close-quarters." Kakashi said.

Naruto, who had been carefully listening to the strengths that his sensei just ran over, suddenly had an idea come to mind that could take out Itachi quickly and with one swift blow.

"I've got an idea sensei." Naruto blurted out.

"Well, let's hear it then," Kakashi replied, quite amused but not surprised by the blonde jinchuriki's quick thinking.

"Aside from Sakura-chan being a natural in Genjutsu as you pointed out sensei, she is also the best of us two in close-quarters combat. What about using a Substitution Jutsu to bait Itachi in? If you guys can lock Itachi down in place, I have a Jutsu that I think will have more than enough kick to end this in one blow." Naruto explained.

"That could work. Once Itachi moves to strike the killing blow on Sakura and she disappears from the battlefield, I should be able to use the distraction as a way to grab onto Itachi with a Shadow Clone. Just be ready to strike at a moment's notice Naruto." Kakashi commanded.

"Understood." The hyperactive blonde replied.

"Alright. Let's go Sakura." Kakashi ordered, getting a nod from the pinkette. "Lady Chiyo, please stay here. If your grandson is involved as you suspect him to be, we'll need you in the battles ahead."

"Very well," Chiyo replied.

"Be careful Naruto-Kun," Sakura said, giving her boyfriend a quick peck on the lips before racing off to join their sensei.

"You too Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered inaudibly.

With his girlfriend and Kakashi now en route to engage Itachi in battle once again, Naruto took a moment to meditate so he could communicate with the Kyuubi.

'Hey, Kyuubi are you there?' Naruto asked.

'**Yes, brat. What is it that you need?' The Nine-Tails boomed from behind his cage.**

'Can you lend me some of your chakra? I want to try that new variant of the Rasengan I was working on with Pervy Sage during the training trip.' Naruto said.

'**Very well. Just tell when you're ready.' The Nine-Tails responded.**

(Back with Itachi on the battlefield...)

'The Hidden Mist Jutsu. Indeed it's an effective jutsu that makes it difficult to cast a Genjutsu. But it's meaningless against someone like me, who possess the Sharingan.' Itachi mused to himself.

"Could we please end this childish game of hide and seek Kakashi?" Itachi asked.

Kakashi emerged from behind a tree, simply replying, "I suppose we could."

Taking an aggressive stance, Kakashi launched a handful of kunai at Itachi, who avoided them while quickly waving through some hand signs to prepare his next Jutsu.

"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!" Itachi shouted.

The fireball exploded, causing Kakashi's Hidden Mist Jutsu to dissipate. As the dust and smoke kicked up by the Fire Style technique began to clear, Itachi was surprised to see that Kakashi had disappeared. Instead, the rogue Uchiha noticed the pink-haired girl from earlier was now charging at him with a glowing blue fist.

Itachi saw the incoming blow with his Sharingan and quickly avoided it. What took the rogue Uchiha by surprise though is how quickly the girl recovered.

Sakura for her part shot Itachi a grin to symbolize how undeterred she was by the threat he might like to believe he posed. The Godaime's student quickly engaged Itachi in a round of back-to-back punches.

Itachi was amused at the girl's combat skills but decided that it's time to end this childish game. He grabbed the pinkette with one hand and produced a kunai in the other, stabbing her right mid-center in the stomach. The rogue Uchiha thought he has successfully defeated Sakura as he heard the kunai pierce her flesh. Unfortunately for Itachi, he is caught off guard once again as 'Sakura' enveloped into a puff of smoke.

As it began to clear, Itachi was even more surprised to find that a log has taken the place of Sakura. That's when Kakashi came charging at Itachi once more, trying to land a right hook. The rogue nuke nin saw the attack incoming and moves to block it, grabbing on to the back of Kakashi's head. Kakashi on the other hand quickly tightens his grip on Itachi's right elbow.

Itachi tried to use a Genjutsu on Kakashi but found it to be a failure as it has no effect whatsoever on the Copycat Ninja.

"No wonder my Genjutsu is having no effect. This is a Shadow Clone." Itachi observed in his mind.

"Take him out Naruto, Shadow Clone and all!" Kakashi shouted, standing from his vantage point in a nearby tree

"I know!" Two Naruto's exclaimed at the same time as they emerge from the woods, charging at a surprised Itachi with a different form of his Rasengan.

"Giant Rasengan!" The two shout.

As the Giant Rasengan makes an impact with the Fake Itachi, Naruto noticed Itachi giving him a small smile.

"You did well Naruto. I will meet you back in the Leaf once I have dealt with 'shark freak'. And one more thing, once the explosion is gone, be sure to share the information I bestowed upon you with Kakashi, your teammate, and the old woman. Remember, you must act quickly if you want to save your friend." Itachi reminded.

"Thank you, Itachi. I'll see you soon." Naruto whispered in response as the explosion caused by his Giant Rasengan began to clear.

Naruto then turned around, as he heard Sakura calling his name and saw her running toward him with Kakashi and Lady Chiyo right behind her. Sakura quickly embraced Naruto in a tight hug. As she pulled away, Naruto looked her in the eyes only to see some tears running down either cheek.

"Are you okay Naruto? You had me so worried." Sakura asked.

"I'm fine Sakura-chan, but there's something you guys need to know about Itachi." He replies as he begins to explain everything he had discussed with Itachi while trapped in the Genjutsu.

(A few minutes later...)

After Naruto finished, Sakura and Kakashi now understand why Jiraiya had pulled Naruto to the side before they left the village.

"So Itachi is the Akatsuki spy that you told me about three years ago," Sakura said.

"Hai," Naruto responded.

"Though I'm a bit reluctant to trust him, it would make sense why Master Jiraiya has had such advanced knowledge about the Akatsuki's movements and intentions. Having that intel on how to access their hideout is going to come in handy." Kakashi chimed in.

"Agreed," Chiyo says. "I still don't like it though. This sacrifice that the Akatsuki used was a Jounin from Suna. His name was Yura."

"This must be the same member of the Suna council Baki was telling me about. Does that mean what I think it does?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. I believe the Akatsuki had spies planted within the ranks of our military to assist in the capture of Gaara. Based on the information Itachi gave to Naruto and now seeing Yura's deceased body in front of us, there is no doubt that my grandson had a hand in Gaara's abduction."

"I see," Kakashi replied.

"Furthermore, it would seem that the information Itachi gave Naruto only confirms my other suspicion. The Akatsuki are planning to create a new jinchuriki with Shukaku by extracting it from Gaara. Extracting the bijuu requires a tremendous amount of time."

"Excuse me Lady Chiyo, but what happens when a bijuu is extracted?" Sakura asked.

"The process to remove a bijuu takes time, something the Akatsuki is clearly pressed for right now given how they used a human sacrifice to slow our advance. Back to the topic at hand however, if a Tailed-Beast is fully removed, then the host is killed." Chiyo replied sadly, knowing that her words were going to have a profound impact on the young pink-haired medic.

Sakura's heart shattered upon hearing those last four words. The pinkette began to feel her legs trembling as she collapsed to the ground. Tears poured from her eyes like a broken faucet that couldn't stop.

Naruto quickly kneels down and embraces his girlfriend in a tight hug. Sakura continued to cry into Naruto's jacket while the blonde gently rubbed her back.

Kakashi and Chiyo can only watch on in sadness.

"You don't need to worry Sakura-chan. I won't ever let anything like that happen to me." Naruto whispered, hoping it will calm her down.

Sakura broke free from Naruto's grip and gives him a hard smack across the side of his face.

"Damnit Naruto. Don't you get it?!" Sakura shouted through her tears. "Your very life is at risk right now and here you are just shrugging it off like it's nothing. Don't you understand how important you are?"

"Of course I do! The Akatsuki have been hunting myself, Gaara and every other jinchuriki down to collect the Tailed Beasts for kami knows what. Those bastards are making each one of our lives a living hell. What pisses me off even more though is the fact that they are dragging the people I care about into this mess too, especially when I'm the one they're after." Naruto replied.

"Don't you dare try to carry this burden by yourself Naruto. Not when you have so many people that care about you. Tsunade-Shishou, Kakashi-Sensei, Master Jiraiya, the Ichirakus, all of our friends, and most importantly me. You are important to each and every one of us." Sakura began.

"I cannot and will not go through the experience of losing someone I care about again, especially when that person just so happens to be the man I love. If the Akatsuki thinks that I'm going to just stand by and let them take you from me then they've got another thing coming. I will protect you with every fiber of my being, just as you swore to do the same for me. Do I make myself clear?" Sakura asked in a serious demeanor, not willing to take no for an answer.

"Hai," Naruto replied.

"Good." Sakura said tearfully, embracing her lover tightly once again."

Giving them a few moments to regain their composure, Kakashi walked up to his students.

"Are you two ready?" The silver-haired Jounin asked, receiving a nod of affirmation from his students.

"Let's go rescue Gaara," Kakashi said as the four continued onward.

XXXX

With Itachi and Kisame

As the human sacrifice that was used to replicate himself is defeated, Itachi begins to reopen his eyes.

"So you're already done too huh?" Kisame asked.

"Yes. The Nine-Tails jinchuriki has grown quite strong since our last encounter. Master Jiraiya has taught him very well." Itachi answered.

"The shapeshifting technique that Pain possesses is a handy Jutsu to have, but the amount of Chakra we allocated to the sacrifices was limited. That means any Jutsu the duplicates use is on par with the quantity." Kisame said.

"It was enough to buy us some time." Itachi pointed out, as he reclosed his eyes and rejoined the other Akatsuki members in the lair where Shukakau is still being extracted.

"So the Jutsu was broken?" Pain asked.

"Yes, but we did gain valuable intelligence with regards to the fast-approaching enemies," Kisame replied.

The only thought running through Itachi's mind was how he was going to escape and return to the Leaf to share the years of intelligence he had gathered.

Chapter End

Alright, guys! So the cat is finally out of the bag. I know that my choice of going with Itachi as the spy was rather predictable, but I did it for two reasons. I won't be divulging the details for either of those plot points, as the events after the Kazekage Rescue Arc is where this story will begin to diverge from Canon a bit. The only thing I can say is that Itachi will serve an integral part of this story moving forward. So from here, the Kazekage Arc should be done in the next few chapters. The next update will revolve around the fight against Sasori. See y'all next time!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Alright guys. So I'm back with Chapter 11 and as I previously stated in the last update, this one is going to focus on the fight with Sasori. Before we get into it, I want to preface the upcoming action/fight scenes in this chapter by saying that there will be some similarities as well as a number of changes. The biggest among these being the fact that my interpretation of this fight will be faster-paced in comparison to the original version.

The other thing I wanted to briefly mention is that you may have noticed a cover image now posted to this story. This was a commission I had done by Kaschra on Deviantart. If you are a fan of NaruSaku art, please check her out. She does amazing work! Now with that out of the way, I want to take a little time to thank and address some reviews. Once that is done, I'll mention the usual disclaimer and then on to reading. Enjoy!

GunBlade2019: Thank you for the continued support! One of my intentions with writing this story was for Sakura to have a role than she did in Canon. I tried to incorporate some more use of Water Style affinity in this chapter, so hopefully, it will show more growth of her character.

Seros109: I'm glad you like the story so far! Your idea with regards to Sasuke is very interesting, but I don't have any plans to bring him back at this point in time. That isn't to say that another character from the Uchiha clan might return to face Itachi. I hope you continue to enjoy the future updates to this fic!

W01frunn3r: Thank you for the kind words! I haven't figured out how to address Hinata's feelings for Naruto given that he's in a relationship with Sakura now. One of the things I have tried to avoid in both of my Naruto fics is bashing any characters. I don't have anything personal against Hinata or the pairing of NaruHina, but I think that based on the way Kishimoto wrote the original plot, NaruSaku made more sense considering that they grew and fought side-by-side. Nevertheless, I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story as it progresses.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 11

Team Guy stood at the entrance to Akatsuki hideout. Konoha's Green Beast and his squad were trying to figure out how to gain entrance to the lair.

"So this is the place, huh Pakkun?" Guy asked.

"Yes. The Kazekage is on the other side of this boulder." Pakkun said.

"It looks like they've already put measures into place to prevent any unwanted guests from intruding," Neji said, pointing at the seal towards the upper portion of the boulder.

"Well if that's the case, then how do we proceed Gai-sensei?" Tenten asked.

"With Dynamic Entry!" Lee shouts.

"I don't think that will be necessary Lee because it looks like our backup just arrived." Guy smirks as he sees his eternal rival finally show up. "You're late Kakashi."

"Sorry about that. We had to deal with an unwanted guest along the way." Kakashi said.

"I hope you aren't referring to me Kakashi," Chiyo commented.

"Of course not Lady Chiyo. Kakashi-sensei is referring to our run-in with a certain Akatsuki member." Sakura hinted, hoping the retired Suna elder would pick up on her reference to leave Itachi's identity a mystery to their comrades.

Thankfully, Lady Chiyo got the message and refrained herself from making any further comments about Itachi.

"So you guys got caught up dealing them too, huh?" Guy asked, getting a mere nod from Kakashi.

"If you don't need me for anything else Kakashi, I think I'll return home." Pakkun cut in.

"Thanks for your help, Pakkun. See you again soon." Kakashi eye-smiled, watching as the leader of his Ninja Hound summon disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

While the two rivals were exchanging information about their team's encounters with a member of the Akatsuki, the always energetic Rock Lee was looking at the members of the team that had accompanied Kakashi. A bright smile quickly formed on the young taijutsu user's face as he noticed that his self-proclaimed rival had returned.

"Naruto?" Lee asked.

"Hey Bushy Brows." Naruto smiled as he greeted the younger of two green spandex-wearing shinobi. "Nice to see you as well Tenten and Neji."

Tenten smiled, while Neji gave a small nod in acknowledgment.

"It's great to see you my youthful rival. Shall we have a spar once we return to the Leaf to find out who will win the heart of the beautiful Sakura-chan?" Lee asked enthusiastically.

'I hate to crush Lee's hopes of being with me, but Naruto and I would have needed to make our relationship known amongst our friends sooner or later. You guys might as well be the first to know.' Sakura thought.

"I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that Lee, as I'm already taken." Sakura blushed a bit as her eyes glanced over in the direction of Naruto, causing Lee's jaw to drop in response.

Tenten and Neji were both genuinely surprised by this sudden development as well. The Hyuuga prodigy, in particular, knew that his cousin Hinata was not going to take the news of Naruto and Sakura's relationship well.

'Hinata has always been a shy person, but I'm afraid that the news of Naruto and Sakura's relationship will be a major blow to her already delicate self-esteem.' Neji thought to himself.

"Are you serious?" Tenten asked.

"Mhm." Sakura hummed.

"Sorry Bushy Brows, but it's true. Sakura-chan and I started seeing each other when I returned to the Leaf with Ero-Sennin a few days ago. Everything happened so fast with the news of Gaara's abduction that Granny Tsunade dispatched us here to help with the rescue effort as soon as the message arrived from Suna. It kind of sucks because I didn't really get a chance to see many of my friends, but saving Gaara is my biggest priority right now." Naruto explained.

A saddened look formed on Lee's face, his shoulders slumping a bit due to the fact that he could no longer compete against his self-proclaimed rival for Sakura's affection.

This didn't go unnoticed by the hyperactive blonde, who decided he would try to cheer his friend up by accepting Lee's invitation to spar minus the stipulation.

"I'd be happy to take you up on that offer for a spar though when we get back to the Leaf. I can't wait to see how much stronger you and all our other friends have gotten while I was away." Naruto said, quickly brightening the mood of the spandex-wearing shinobi.

"Ahem!" Kakashi cleared his throat to get the attention of his and Guy's students so they could move on with the next phase of their mission. "Alright, guys, enough of the chit chat. We can save the reminiscing for later once we have ensured the Kazekage is safe." The silver-haired Jounin began.

"Right. So what are we dealing with Kakashi?" Guy asked.

"This is a Five Barrier Seal. Aside from the one that the Akatsuki has placed on the entrance, there should be four seals located nearby. In order for us to be able to gain entry to their hideout, we need to first locate and then remove each seal at precisely the exact same time." Kakashi explained, quickly turning his gaze upon the Hyuga prodigy. "Neji, we'll need you to use your Byakugan to determine the exact location of the other seals."

"Understood," Neji replied before shouting. "Byakugan!"

Taking a few moments to scan the surrounding area, Neji quickly located the four seals and reported his findings to the group.

"Now that we've determined the location of the other seals, just how do we go about removing them at the same time?" Sakura inquired.

"Leave that part to us." Guy said confidently in his trademark 'nice guy' pose.

Konoha's Green Beast reached into his backpack and pulled out a radio and headset piece. The rest of Team Guy did the same.

"We'll use frequency 147 to communicate with one another once everybody is in position," Guy said.

"One more thing I forgot to mention, Guy. When each of you goes to remove your designated seal, expect it to trigger a trap. This trap will create an exact replica of yourself." Kakashi said.

"You seem to be well informed about the Akatsuki's tricks. Just how did you acquire this intel, my youthful rival?" Guy inquired.

"Master Jiraiya's had a spy planted within the Akatsuki for some time now. Because he became somewhat acquainted with the intricacies of Konoha's Spy Network while on his three-year training trip, Naruto was entrusted with this information just before we left the village. None of us know the spy's identity, as Master Jiraiya was very cryptic and tight-lipped about keeping the source of his information a secret." Kakashi lied.

"Damn you Kakashi and your hip attitude. Alright Team Guy, off we go with the full power of youth!" Guy shouted.

(Ten Minutes Later…)

"Is everyone in position?" Kakashi asked Team Guy through the headset of his own radio, getting a unanimous yes from each of them.

"Alright, on the count of three, I want you to remove your tags at the same time," Kakashi said through the headpiece, quickly turning his attention to Sakura. "Sakura be ready to use your chakra-enhanced strength to smash this boulder as soon as I give you the word."

The pinkette nodded as she backed up a bit to give herself some space to build up momentum. Sakura began channeling some chakra to her fist, ready to strike at a moment's notice when her sensei gave the command.

"Three… two… one…" Kakashi counted, before shouting, "Now Sakura!"

"Hai!" Sakura replied as she charged at the boulder.

"Shannaro!" Sakura shouts, releasing the built-up chakra in her fist as it collided with the boulder, smashing it to bits.

"It was a success, Guy. We'll see you once we've dealt with the Akatsuki threat inside the hideout and ensured Gaara is safe." Kakashi says over the radio as he signs off and places it in his backpack once again.

"Alright, everyone. Thanks to Itachi's intel, we should have the element of surprise, allowing us to catch the Akatsuki off guard. I want all of you to stay together and cover one another." Kakashi began.

"And, Naruto," Kakashi said, getting the blonde jinchuriki's attention. "Don't do anything rash. Sakura, Lady Chiyo and I will be right beside you to lend any support we can. When I said that we would save Gaara no matter what it takes, I gave you my word and I will not renege on the promise. Understood?"

"Hai," Naruto replies.

Sakura and Lady Chiyo gave a small nod in understanding as well.

"Good. Now let's go." Kakashi said as the four-man cell entered the Akatsuki hideout, ready to deal with any threat they might face.

XXXX

Upon entering the hideout, Team Kakashi and Lady Chiyo could not believe what they were seeing.

Situated towards the back of the cavern was a strange statue with two large hands on either side of it. There were ten figures present, two in person and the rest projecting their presence via hologram. Perhaps the most shocking part of the whole scene was what was taking place in the center. Surrounded by a blue aura was none other than the Kazekage himself, red chakra being sucked from his body and absorbed by the strange statue.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouts.

"Naruto, please stop! Remember what Kakashi-sensei. Don't let your anger get the best of you." Sakura pleaded as she quickly moved in front of Naruto, placing her hands on either shoulder to get her boyfriend to calm down.

Some of Naruto's pent up tension began to fade away at the gentle and caring touch of Sakura's soft hands.

Sakura gave Naruto a gentle yet reassuring smile to let him know that she was there to support him.

Kakashi smiled a bit under his mask at the intimate moment taking place between his students. The Copycat Ninja when seeing them together like this reminded him of Minato and Kushina. Known as the Leaf's Red Hot Habanero, Kushina had a temper of the devil, a similarity that she shared with Sakura. Underneath that fiery personality, however, were two women that deeply loved and cared about the man standing beside them.

'It's amazing how much of a calming effect that Sakura has on Naruto. The fact that she's been able to keep Naruto from letting his emotions get the better of him with regards to Gaara's abduction is something that I haven't seen since Minato-sensei and his wife. Sakura may possess Kushina's hot-headed quick temper, but I also see a bit of Minato-sensei in her as well. You picked a good one Naruto.' Kakashi thought to himself.

Naruto's outburst didn't go unnoticed, however, as each member of the Akatsuki looked in the direction of the source causing it.

"Shit! How the hell did they gain entry so easily?" Deidara cursed. "I thought you said that between the Five-Seal barrier and Itachi and Kisame's distraction would slow them down Leader, buying us enough time to finish the extraction of the One-Tails."

"That is of little consolation now. Everyone is to disperse and return to their respective missions, except for the two who are physically present in the hideout." Pain ordered as the other holograms disappeared.

"Deidara, take the One-Tails' jinchuriki to another one of our nearby hideouts. We will finish the extraction at that time. Sasori, I leave our guests to you." Pain said, his own hologram now fading away as well.

"Why do you always get to have all the fun?" Deidara sulked.

"It's because you don't know how to shut up." Sasori snapped.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Deidara fired back.

"It means that you spend too much time blathering about how your stupid explosives are a masterpiece when in reality they're really nothing more than an over-glorified paper bomb," Sasori said.

Deidara began to open his mouth, ready to voice his opposition until he heard Sasori begin to speak.

"Just take the One-Tails and get a move on! I'll show these Leaf shinobi what true art is." Sasori boasted.

"Fine," Deidara grumbled.

The rogue Iwa nin took a moment to form a small clay bird in the palm of his hand. Deidara then tossed the bird into the air, making a hand sign with his one remaining arm that caused a cloud of smoke to surround the tiny clay bird.

As it cleared, a much larger clay bird stood in its place. The bird let out a loud cry, flapping its wings a bit, before momentarily settling on the ground just long enough to pick up Gaara's unconscious body and nestle it inside its beak.

"Good luck my man!" Deidara shouted as he climbed onto the back of the clay bird and took off in the direction of the entrance.

Knowing that he was the most capable to engage the rogue Iwa nin at a distance, Kakashi took off in pursuit but came to a brief halt to address the other members of his team.

"Naruto, I want you to stay here and assist Sakura and Lady Chiyo deal with this creep. Leave the other guy to me." The silver-haired Jonin said.

Though he was a bit reluctant, Naruto nodded.

"Wait a minute sensei!" Naruto called, getting the Copycat Ninja to once again stop in his tracks.

"If I can't be there to help you rescue you Gaara myself, at least allow me to give you some backup," Naruto said, producing a Shadow Clone.

"This is a chakra-enhanced Shadow Clone. It can make a few Rasengan and a dozen or so shadow clones." The blonde jinchuriki explained.

"Thanks, Naruto. When I have successfully dealt with that blonde loudmouth and rescued Gaara, I will make sure your Shadow Clone knows where to go before I dispel it" Kakashi replied before quickly taking off in pursuit of Deidara and his clay bird.

With Kakashi and his Shadow Clone now chasing down the Akatsuki member that had Gaara, Naruto turned his attention to the other foe standing across the way. Narrowing his eyes a bit, Naruto was determined to make the Akatsuki regret ever striking a fellow jinchuriki and a close friend of his.

XXXX

(Meanwhile with Itachi…)

After Pain gave the order for all Akatsuki members not physically present to scatter, Itachi slowly began to reopen his eyes.

While outwardly maintaining a neutral face, Itachi was breathing a sigh of relief in his mind. Furthermore, he was glad that Naruto's team had successfully been able to infiltrate the Akatsuki hideout before the Kazekage's Tailed-Beast could be fully extracted.

Their entrance had come at an opportune time for Itachi, as it would serve as his best chance to escape and return to the Leaf to share the intelligence he had gathered. Itachi also couldn't neglect the promise he made to Naruto. Before he could do any of those things, however, Itachi had one loose end to tie up, his partner Kisame.

"Well, that was quite an interesting development," Kisame said in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

Itachi paid no attention to Kisame, jumping off the rock he had been perched on while projecting his hologram to the Akatsuki lair.

"You don't seem to be in a very talkative mood today. Disappointed that Sasori and Deidara were able to add our target to their quota?" Kisame asked.

"Hardly." Itachi scoffed. "It's a wonder that those two idiots can do anything right."

"Agreed. With Deidara always running his mouth and Sasori telling him to shut up, they make quite the pair. So what should we do now? With the Nine-Tails already within Pain's grasp, that leaves us free to do as we see fit." Kisame said.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Kisame. As I told you earlier, Naruto has grown to be quite strong while under the tutelage of a Sannin." Itachi pointed out.

"Whatever you say, Itachi." Kisame retorted.

"So what should we do now?" The former member of the Mist's Seven Swordsmen asked.

"Unfortunately this is where our partnership ends," Itachi says, his Sharingan flaring to life in both eyes.

XXXX

(Back with Naruto, Sakura, and Chiyo…)

"Why do I always get stuck with the dirty work?" Sasori grumbled.

"Is that any way to talk to your own grandmother, Sasori? I would think that after 20 years that you'd be happy to see me, especially when I came all this way from Suna."

"I'm not afraid of a retired old woman. You can't even touch me." Sasori retorted.

"It isn't wise to underestimate your opponents, Sasori." Chiyo chided. "I may be an old woman, but that doesn't mean I still don't have a few tricks up my sleeve.

"Is that all you have to offer? Empty words and cheap taunts? I grow bored of this tiresome exchange." Sasori said.

"Still impatient as ever. If you want to get this over with, then why don't you come out and face us in your true form instead of hiding within Hiruko?" Chiyo taunted.

Amused by his grandmother's boldness, Sasori figured that it was the least he could do before killing her and the two brats from the Leaf.

"Very well, but don't say I didn't warn you," Sasori said as a cloud of smoke engulfs around him, concealing his body.

"Hiruko?" Sakura asked quizzically.

"That is the name of Sasori's favorite puppet, the very same one you just saw a moment ago. It is one in a line of many human puppets that Sasori has collected over the years, riddled with hidden weapons and mechanisms. I'm not sure if you and Naruto are aware of this Sakura but a puppet wielder's biggest weakness is close-quarters fighting. Sasori built Hiruko for that very reason, to have a good balance of both offense and defense."

"But why taunt him into shedding Hiruko?" Sakura inquired.

"As you may have noticed Sakura, if there's one thing my grandson hates, it's being kept waiting. And time isn't exactly a luxury that he has on his side right now."

"I see. So you intend to take advantage of that behavioral trait and expedite the fight a bit."

"Yes. Sasori will have no choice but to settle everything right now." Chiyo said.

"So what would you suggest we do Lady Chiyo? You are the one who has the most battle experience of the three of us. Not to mention that you know Sasori best and what we can expect to face." Sakura reasoned.

"Indeed that may be true, but Sasori always was if nothing resourceful. His puppets aren't the only things we need to be wary of Sakura. As I stated before, the hidden weapons and traps in each puppet are likely laced in the same poison he used on Kankuro. Even the tiniest drop can prove fatal if it gets into your bloodstream. You and Naruto will need to keep a sharp watch on every one of Sasori's movements." Chiyo reminded.

"The old hag is right, little girl," Sasori said from behind the smoke, his voice now different than before.

As the cloud of smoke that had enveloped Sasori when he was still hiding within Hiruko began to dissipate, Lady Chiyo and the two Hidden Leaf shinobi couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Standing across the way was a young red-haired man with brown eyes. He was garbed in the same traditional Akatsuki cloak that every other member wore and had white socks with a pair of traditional shinobi sandals on his feet.

"Seeing you were so eager to see my real face, I decided to grant your final request before I have to kill you. Besides, I think this form should be more suitable given that you are one of the opponents that I'll be I'm facing, Granny Chiyo." Sasori said.

"I-it can't be…" Chiyo stuttered in disbelief.

"What's the matter, Granny? It's almost like you've seen a ghost." Sasori said.

"Is that Sasori's true form, Lady Chiyo?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. But what I don't understand is how he hasn't aged one bit. He looks the same as he did when he left the Hidden Sand twenty years ago." Chiyo explained.

Sakura and Naruto gave each other a look of uncertainty. It seemed that despite all her experience with Sasori, even Lady Chiyo was not sure how to deal with the situation at hand.

Being the more rational and level-headed between herself and her boyfriend, Sakura knew that she had to take control of the situation at hand. To do that, however, Sakura would first need to remind Lady Chiyo that the Sasori standing before her was not the same person she had known as her own grandchild years ago in the Hidden Sand.

"Lady Chiyo!" Sakura called, causing the retired Suna elder to snap out of her stupor and look at the young pink-haired medic.

"I know that seeing Sasori like this probably isn't how you imagined reuniting with him, but you need to remember that he isn't the same person that you once loved and cherished when he was younger. He is part of an evil organization, the very same one responsible for kidnapping Gaara and threatening to attack the innocent people of the Hidden Sand in the process. Naruto and I will do our best to help you bring him to justice in any way we can." Sakura emphasized.

Lady Chiyo took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. As hard as it was for the retired Suna elder to have seen her grandson, her own flesh and blood sink so low, she knew that Sakura was speaking the truth.

"You're right Sakura. There are many things I have come to regret in my long life. After my son and daughter in law were killed at the hands of Kakashi's father, there wasn't a thing I wouldn't do to make my grandson happy. I was willing to give life to the puppets he created in exchange for my own. No matter how low Sasori had fallen, I loved and cherished my grandson because he was the only family I had left aside from Ebizou. Perhaps the thing that I have come to regret most is when I sealed Shukaku within Gaara when he was a newborn. With everything that has transpired in just a few short days, I now realize that there is still time to atone for my sins." Chiyo said as she reached into her bag and pulled out two scrolls.

Unrolling the scrolls, Lady Chiyo summoned two different puppets. Neither Naruto nor Sakura knew who these puppets are supposed to be of, but both of them could tell that Sasori was acquainted with them based on the scrunched up look now spread across his face.

"So you brought them huh?" Sasori asked.

"You remember these don't you Sasori?" queried Chiyo.

"Yeah. I suppose I do." Sasori said.

"I hoped you would considering that these are the very first puppets you crafted. The Father and the Mother." Chiyo said.

"I made those puppets, so I know their workings both inside and out. Just what did you hope to accomplish by bringing those two if they're just the same meaningless puppets made up of wood and metal?" Sasori asked with no hint of emotion present in his tone.

"As I said Sasori, you are unwise to underestimate your opponent," Chiyo said.

"Hmph! Seeing I am pressed for time, I think it would be advantageous to speed things up a bit." Sasori said, a lone scroll emerging from the cuff of his right-hand sleeve.

Slowly unrolling the scroll, Sasori began to speak once again. "This puppet is a particular favorite of mine, one that was rather difficult to obtain. I guarantee that seeing this piece of art will almost certainly bring back memories for you, Granny Chiyo."

"Three? Is that supposed to have some kind of significance?" Naruto said whilst tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Sasori chuckled at the blonde's cluelessness.

"It'll all make sense once he makes his grand entrance." Sasori elaborated, infusing some chakra into the scroll to bring his favorite creation to come out and play.

A cloud of smoke surrounded the puppet as it was summoned from the scroll.

Able to make out parts of the puppet, Lady Chiyo couldn't believe what she was seeing. The puppet shared a striking similarity to one of the Sand's former leaders. "It can't be!? That's the Third Kazekage!"

"Third Kazekage? Just how did he obtain this puppet?" Sakura asked.

"I haven't the faintest idea, my dear. The Third Kazekage was the most powerful shinobi in the history of the Hidden Sand. It's been over ten years since he mysteriously vanished into thin air. So you're the one who's responsible for the Sandaime's disappearance all those years ago!?" Chiyo accused, causing Sasori to break into a faint yet devilish laugh.

"What if I was? I told you that this puppet would bring back memories" Sasori laughed once again.

"It's one thing to get yourself mixed up with these evil individuals, but meddling with a Kazekage for the second time is where I draw the line! Someone needs to see that you are punished for the numerous crimes you've committed since leaving the Hidden Sand. The only difference in this case, however, is that I'll have some help doing it! Are you ready; Naruto, Sakura?"

"Hai." Naruto and Sakura replied.

"Good. Sakura, I'm letting you take charge of the battle from here. After watching you work yesterday at the hospital, I couldn't help but notice how gifted you are in analyzing problems and thinking quick on your feet. Just tell me what you need me to do." The old puppet master said, getting a small nod from Sakura.

Taking into consideration that Lady Chiyo had pointed out one of Sasori's weaknesses in his impatient temperament, Sakura knew that it wouldn't be too difficult to exploit it. All she had to do was keep applying a continuous amount of pressure to make Sasori grow frustrated to the point where he would be forced to let his guard down and reveal his trump card.

Casting a brief glance in the direction of her boyfriend, Sakura was already beginning to connect the dots and formulate a plan that would drive Sasori to the point of insanity. Naruto's ability to produce an endless supply of Shadow Clone in conjunction with the Kyuubi's chakra would prove to be the perfect way to do just that.

"Naruto, can you make a few dozen shadow clones?" Sakura asked.

"No problem," Naruto said as he crossed his fingers to make the familiar hand sign for one of his signature jutsu. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Alright, Lady Chiyo. I want you and Naruto to keep Sasori and his Third Kazekage puppet distracted in close-quarters combat as much as you can. While you two are doing that, I will be providing support from behind, using a long-distance Water Style Jutsu. Understood?" Sakura asked, getting a confident look from her boyfriend and Lady Chiyo in response.

Naruto and his small army of clones pulled a kunai from the holster taped to their right-hand leg.

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!" The clones shouted in unison.

Sakura smirked, having quickly picked up on what her boyfriend was doing from the sight of a light blue hue glowing off the kunai. 'Naruto is using his Gale Palm technique to infuse chakra into the kunai, thus increasing its lethality and effectiveness. Nice move, Naruto-Kun.'

As the army of Naruto clones and Lady Chiyo began to close in one the Third Kazekage puppet, Sasori didn't even flinch. The puppeteer merely moved a few chakra strings with his fingers, revealing some of the weapons he had hidden within each arm of the puppet.

The left-arm opened up first, launching a barrage of lengthy wooden arms all clustered together.

Quick to react, Lady Chiyo brought the nearest hands of her Mother and Father puppets together. As the two made contact and began to separate a bit, a series of wires could be seen that connected each finger together. Lady Chiyo started pressing forward, using the puppet's wire to slice through the wooden arms.

In the back of the older puppet master, Sakura was waving through some hand signs to lend some support.

"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!" Sakura shouted, causing a high pressured stream of water to come out of her mouth, cutting through wooden arms with ease.

On Naruto's side of the battlefield, he was dealing with a different threat of hidden weapons from Sasori's prized puppet.

The right-hand arm had opened up in a somewhat similar fashion to that of the left, but in this case, it revealed several small cannons. Sasori launched the first wave of ninja weapons, consisting of kunai dipped in the same poison used on Kankuro.

Naruto's and his army of clones deflected the kunai with ease but were caught off guard a bit when Sasori launched an immediate follow-up attack with a barrage of shuriken. A number of Shadow Clones were hit by the shuriken, dispelling into nothing more than a puff of smoke.

Sasori was beginning to grin at first when he thought that he had successfully thinned the ranks of Naruto's clones a bit. That expression quickly soured however when Naruto crossed his fingers once again, producing a much larger number of Shadow Clones this time around.

As the fighting continued, Naruto and Lady Chiyo continued to make advances towards Sasori's Kage puppet. Lady Chiyo with her puppets of Sasori's parents had slowly worn down the Third's various hidden defenses. Naruto had been doing the same on his side of the battlefield. Sakura was lending support to both Lady Chiyo and her boyfriend whenever she could, using a combination of her Severing Wave and Water Fang Bullet techniques to help the two deflect some of Sasori's hidden weapons as they advanced closer and closer to the Sandaime Kazekage puppet.

Sasori was growing more flustered with his deadlocked battle involving his grandmother controlling the puppets of his parents and the hyperactive blonde's neverending barrage of Shadow Clones. What also baffled Sasori was the pink-haired kunoichi's role in the battle.

At first, Sasori couldn't quite understand why Sakura had been keeping her distance in back aside from the fact of using long-range Water Release techniques to support her comrades that were advancing towards his Kage puppet. That was until he noticed her watching his each and every move like a hawk.

'So the pink-haired brat seems to be the brains of the operation. If I'm going to end this fight quickly, I need to find a way to shut the old bag's puppets and the blonde-haired brat's endless supply of Shadow Clones down. Once they're out of the way, I can move in for the killing blow on the bitch in back. Even if I have to expend a bit of my own chakra to do this, I think it's a risk worth taking. Time to reveal my trump card.' Sasori rationalized in his mind.

Sakura, on the other hand, was smirking to herself in her mind. Having carefully analyzed Sasori's attack patterns and movements since the fight began, Sakura discovered that the only way to force her opponent's hand was by baiting his prized puppet in close.

'Sasori is the type of fighter that prefers to engage his foes from a distance. Judging by the look of frustration that is currently present on his face, I think Sasori is getting ready to play his final trump card, which in turn would imply that he's letting his guard down. Tsunade-shishou always stressed the importance of evasion over offense for a combat medic during our training, but if I play my own hand carefully and wait until just the right moment, I should be able to put an end to his puppet of the Third Kazekage.' Sakura thought to herself.

"You three have proven to be very worthy adversaries, but I think it's time I wrapped this up. As a reward for your valiant efforts, I will treat you all to a special showing of the Third's most powerful jutsu." Sasori taunted, using a few of his chakra threads to open the puppet's mouth.

While this transpired, a gray-colored substance began to seep from its mouth.

Naruto looked back towards where Sakura was standing. As their eyes met once again, neither one knew what Sasori had planned next.

Lady Chiyo, however, had a pretty good idea of what Sasori was doing.

"Naruto, we need to fall back. NOW!" Chiyo shouted, hoping that her warning would allow both herself and the blonde jinchuriki enough time to put a safe distance between themselves and the Third's Iron Sand.

Unfortunately, the puppeteer's warning did little good, as Sasori had already gathered enough of the Third's Iron Sand to form two masses of opposing magnetic fields and merged them together.

Opening the hidden compartment on the left-hand side of the Third Kazekage's chest, Sasori used some of the chakra hidden inside it to amplify the jutsu's power.

"Iron Sand: World Order!" Sasori shouts.

The Iron Sand began spreading into numerous spikes, quickly branching off in different directions as its reach only continued to grow.

When the spikes made contact with the roof of the cavern, they broke through like a knife slicing off a piece of butter. Several large chunks of rock began to rain down upon Naruto and Lady Chiyo, the latter using a chakra shield concealed within her right-hand arm while using her left hand to attach chakra strings to Naruto and pull him away just as one of the sand spikes grazed the side of his stomach.

After the dust kicked up by the falling chunks of rock had begun to settle, Sasori noticed that his plan had been successful. The blonde-haired Leaf shinobi and his grandmother were both near each other, sustaining their own respective injuries. Furthermore, the pink-haired kunoichi that was keeping her distance during the initial phase of the fight was now lying on the ground near the edge of the water at the entrance to the Akatsuki hideout, unconscious and not moving.

'Now that I've got the Nine-Tails and the old bag out of the way, I think this would be a good time to kill that girl in the background.' Sasori thought as he launched his puppet through the maze of Iron Sand.

The puppet's blades pierced right through Sakura, making Sasori believe that he'd defeated the brains of their group. However, his victory was short-lived when the puppeteer noticed 'Sakura' turning into water.

Suddenly, the real Sakura emerged from underwater, a blue glow surrounding her fist. The pink-haired medic's chakra-enhanced punch collided with Sasori's Third Kazekage puppet, smashing it to bits.

As the Third's Iron Sand begins to collapse with Sakura dealing the killing blow to Sasori's prized puppet, Sakura looked over and noticed that Lady Chiyo was trapped under a small boulder with Naruto right next to her. What shocked Sakura more however was the fact that Naruto was now enveloped in a red chakra cloak.

'Naruto must be using the Kyuubi's chakra to flush the poison out of his system. I need to get over to him and place one of the seals Master Jiraiya gave me before he loses control.' Sakura thought as she jumped over to help Lady Chiyo and Naruto.

Sasori couldn't believe what just transpired.

He thought for sure that the girl was as good as dead. She knew that he had caught on to what she was doing; keeping her distance while analyzing his attack patterns. When Sasori launched his Iron Sand: World Order jutsu, she used the distraction as an opening to hide underwater and produce a clone, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

'She's a clever little brat.' Sasori thought in his mind.

"Are you alright Naruto-Kun?" Sakura asked in concern.

"Hai. I was using the Kyuubi's chakra to force Sasori's poison out of my system. My bloodstream should be free of any traces of his toxins. I suppose the better question would be to ask where you got that suppression seal from?" Naruto managed to get out while slowly trying to regain his bearings.

"Master Jiraiya gave me a small pouch of them before we left. He said to use this only if the Nine-Tails chakra was getting out of hand. I know that you can control up to three tails of his power, but your emotions concerning Gaara are still running a bit high, so I want to make sure that your anger stays in check. Now,, are you sure that you're alright?" Sakura relented.

"Hai. The Kyuubi was quick to respond when I told him to start pumping just enough chakra to form a one-tailed cloak around me. If anyone deserves to be commended, it's him."

"**You're welcome brat." The Kyuubi grumbled from within his cage.**

Sakura gave her boyfriend a gentle smile, quickly diverting her attention to Lady Chiyo.

The pink-haired medic used some of her chakra-enhanced strength to lift the boulder up off of Chiyo's afflicted arm and tossed it aside as if it were nothing.

"What about you Lady Chiyo? Are you injured at all?"

"I am fine, my dear. The boulder that fell damaged an artificial arm I made years ago. What about you two, are you hurt at all?" Chiyo inquired.

"I was grazed on the side of my stomach by one of the Iron Sand spikes. The Kyuubi was able to help me force the toxins out of my bloodstream and heal the wound a bit." Naruto explained.

"Oh, thank goodness. I had hoped that I was able to pull you out before the Third's Iron Sand could do any further damage." Chiyo said, breathing a sigh of relief. "But what I don't understand is how you are moving around with such ease, Sakura."

Sakura pulled a hypodermic needle out from the pouch attached to the back of her medic skirt. She began stoically, "I used an antidote containing the same formula that I created to cure Kankuro in the Hidden Sand. When Sasori began to launch his Iron Sand Jutsu, I waited until the last possible minute to inject myself with the serum. I used the information you gave me just before the fight began to exploit Sasori's weakness. Bearing in mind that he hates to be kept waiting, I figured that Sasori would let his guard down only if his opponent led him to believe that they were vulnerable."

"I see. Lady Tsunade has one hell of a student." Chiyo praised.

"I'm going to inject the same antidote into you as well, Lady Chiyo. While this is active within your bloodstream, it will covert whatever poison you are exposed to into harmless protein. The catch though is that this antidote will only last for three minutes, which means we need to end this fight quickly." Sakura elaborated.

Taking the cap off of the extra hypodermic, she injected the antidote into the Suna elder's body.

With that done, Sakura helped Chiyo get back onto her feet and looked over at her lover, getting a fox-like grin from the blonde. She then proceeded to ask, "Are you guys ready?"

Naruto and Chiyo both gave Sakura a small nod. They were interrupted as they heard a devilish laugh coming from Sasori.

"I never thought that someone would be able to defeat the Third Kazekage's Iron Sand so easily. But it looks like you've left me no choice. I can't even begin to remember when the last time was that I had to use myself in a fight like this." Sasori chuckled, slowly unbuttoning his Akatsuki robe.

Watching as he tossed it aside; Naruto, Sakura and Lady Chiyo were shocked by what they saw. The pink-haired medic and the retired Suna elder, in particular, both noticed something interesting about Sasori's body. Now it all made sense to the two kunoichi why Sasori hadn't aged.

"Lady Chiyo. Do you see the same thing that I'm seeing?" Sakura asked

"Yes. It all makes sense now. The reason Sasori hasn't aged is that he found a way to turn himself into a human puppet." Chiyo observed.

"Very astute as always, Grandmother. But I'm afraid this is where it all comes to an end for you three. Welcome to hell!" Sasori shouted with an evil glint in his eyes as he used a chakra thread to reach for a scroll in a hidden compartment on his back.

The red-haired puppeteer unrolled the scroll and tossed it into the air, unleashing dozens of puppets.

"Performance of a Hundred Puppets!"

"I used these to destroy an entire nation." Sasori boasted.

"Am I supposed to be impressed with such large numbers, Sasori?" Chiyo taunted, getting a dirty look from her grandson.

"Powerful as you may have gotten since leaving the Hidden Sand, you still have yet to learn that quantity isn't always everything in the art of puppetry. I think it's time to reveal a secret weapon of my own." Chiyo said as she pulled another scroll out of her bag.

Quickly unrolling it, Chiyo made a hand sign to summon forth her own unique collection of puppets.

'Chikamatsu's 10 Puppets Collection?' Sasori thought.

"So you have been holding back this whole time, grandmother. Enough horseplay. It's time for the final act to begin." Sasori said, now thoroughly amused.

"We need to take out as many of Sasori's puppets in one blow as possible, Lady Chiyo," Sakura said, getting a look of affirmation from the Suna elder.

The pinkette turned to her lover, an idea having come to mind based on a suggestion he made the other day upon his return to the Hidden Leaf. "I've got an idea Naruto-Kun. Remember when you told me about creating a combo with your Rasengan?"

"Hai. What about it?" a puzzled Naruto asked.

"I figured a good way for us to test if that concept could work would be by using a Cooperation Ninjutsu." Sakura went on further to clarify.

"You mean where we combine two different elemental techniques together to form one more powerful jutsu?" Naruto asked.

"Exactly. I'm going to use another one of Lord Second's techniques that Tsunade-shishou taught me. I want you to use your one of your Wind Release techniques and add it to my Water Release." Sakura instructed.

"That is a sensible strategy. Once your combined jutsu has thinned Sasori's ranks a bit, I will send my puppets in for a follow-up attack. It appears as though Sasori is preparing to launch his first wave of puppets right now, so I would suggest you two prepare yourselves for a close-quarters engagement after." Chiyo added.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Right! Water Release: Water Shockwave!" Sakura shouted.

"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Jutsu!" Naruto yelled.

"Wind Water Wild Wave!" Sakura and Naruto shouted in unison.

Naruto and Sakura watched as their Cooperation Ninjutsu began to make contact with Sasori's initial wave of puppets. The microscopic blades of Wind chakra embedded within Sakura's Water Release technique cut the puppets into tiny bits.

Lady Chiyo brought up the rear, sending three of her puppets in to lead the initial follow-up attack.

"Three Treasures: Suction Crush!" Chiyo shouted, as her attacks began to suck up some of the puppets Sasori was sending in, smashing them to bits as they collided with the nearby boulders that had fallen earlier.

Chiyo's other puppets were also engaging that of Sasori's, leaving Naruto and Sakura with an opportunity ripe for the picking. The young couple looked at one another, having thought of the same idea.

Sasori was so distracted trying to control all of his puppets at the same time while combating his own grandmother, giving Naruto and Sakura a chance to strike him down while he was wide open.

Naruto crossed his hands to produce another large batch of Shadow Clones, pushing forward through the line of puppets with a barrage of Rasengan. Sakura followed close behind, ready to strike the final blow on Sasori.

Lady Chiyo took notice of what they were doing and sent the puppet holding the sealing technique that she had prepared prior to departing from Suna with Team Kakashi.

"Sakura use this! It will seal Sasori." Chiyo shouted.

The pink-haired medic looked to her side and grabbed the seal. When she was in close enough proximity, Sakura hurled the growing seal at Sasori, sending him flying into the wall.

As the dust began to settle from the impact of Chiyo's Lion Closing Roar Sealing Technique that had trapped Sasori's lifeless body against the wall; the three-man team watched the remainder of Sasori's puppet army crash to the ground.

"Is that it? Did we kill him?" Sakura asked, looking at her boyfriend for confirmation.

"Yeah, I think we did," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"So certain of that aren't you, little girl." Sasori's voice called, running towards Sakura with a poison-laced sword.

"You may have gotten the best of me the first time with the Third Kazekage, but if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me." Sasori cackled.

The red-headed Akatsuki member's last coup was cut abruptly short, however, as two blades cut through the sides of the puppet's body, stabbing his heart dead-center.

"I thought those two were destroyed by the boulders that fell when I released my Iron Sand jutsu," Sasori asked, as he looked from side-to-side, seeing the creations he first brought life to surrounding him.

"On the contrary, my darling grandson. I knew that the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release Jutsus would render the Father and Mother puppet useless due to them partially being constructed of metal. When you used that World Order Jutsu, I deliberately detached my chakra strings from those puppets in order to pull Naruto to safety. The puppets, as a result, were left unharmed, allowing me to use them to strike the killing blow. Just as I stated before, you underestimated your opponents and let your guard down, Sasori. That is why you lost." Chiyo said.

"I… lost… ?" Sasori muttered out, as the life in his body began to slip away.

"Goodbye, my grandchild. May you find eternal beauty in the life that comes after." Chiyo remarked, some tears running down her face.

With his final moments upon him, Sasori looked up at his grandmother with a rare smile she hadn't seen since the very first time he played with puppets.

"Perhaps art is truly eternal after all…" Sasori said with his last breath.

And with that, the Akatsuki puppeteer was no more.

Naruto and Sakura rushed up beside Lady Chiyo.

"Are you alright Lady Chiyo?" Sakura asked.

"I am fine, my dear. You two fought very well. Thank you." An exhausted Chiyo replied.

Naruto looked to the side with an intense look on his face.

"What is it Naruto?" Sakura questioned.

"Kakashi-sensei just dispelled the Shadow Clone. He defeated Sasori's blonde-haired partner and Bushier Brow sensei and his team arrived to back him up." Naruto explained.

"Do you know where Kakashi-sensei is?" Sakura asked.

"Hai," Naruto answered.

"Then lead the way Naruto." Chiyo panted, trying to catch her next wind.

Naruto nodded, turning around in the direction of the dispelled clone, while Sakura supported Lady Chiyo's weight, bringing up the rear behind him.

End Chapter 11

Alright, guys. So that concludes the Sasori fight. I'm not going to lie when saying that this chapter was a real pain in the neck to write. This will probably be the last action/fight sequence that you'll see for a while because the next chapter will conclude the Kazekage rescue arc. We'll begin moving into somewhat uncharted territory after.

I would like to give a huge shoutout to my friend Awpingyou for taking the time to help me finish this.

Now for those wondering where the next chapter of my Naruto x Kurotsuchi fic is, it's coming sometime soon.

Updates for this story will not be on a monthly basis moving forward. As the holidays draw nearer, much of my time will need to be devoted to my eBay store.

Thank you for your continued support. This story has grown more than I ever imagined it might. I'll see you guys next time!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hey everyone. I know that it's been a while since I last updated this story, but there's been A LOT of stuff going on over the last few months. Nevertheless, though, I'm finally back and with my longest chapter to date. This one is almost 10,000 words! I hope you guys are ready!

First off, I'm glad that so many of you enjoyed the previous chapter with the Sasori fight. This chapter will wrap up the Kazekage Rescue Arc while also acting as the transition into somewhat uncharted territory. Furthermore, I also want to mention that this chapter was written from three perspectives, primarily focusing on events taking place in Suna and Konoha. There's a third character who will make an appearance towards the end of this chapter as well, but I don't want to spoil who it is and rather let you guys find out yourselves.

Before we get to reading, I would like to take some time to thank and address some reviews. Once that is done, I'll mention the usual disclaimer and then let you guys dig into this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Seros109: Glad you liked the last chapter! With regards to your question about what Itachi did to Kisame, it will be revealed in due time. Part of this chapter will focus on Itachi's return to the Leaf, but a lot of the grittier details about what he's been doing won't be divulged until Naruto is back. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story!

Maxslayer10: I plan on addressing Hinata's reaction to the news of Naruto and Sakura's relationship soon. There's a lot of ground to cover to advance the plot of the story itself. Rest assured that there will be a chapter covering Hinata along with Naruto meeting Sakura's parents.

AnbuHikaru-Asakura: I'm glad you like my story! I hope you'll continue to enjoy it as future updates are released!

The Keeper of Worlds: Thank you for the kind words. I hope you look forward to seeing what I have planned for this story in future updates!

Guest: Final pairings aside from NaruSaku and ShikaTema haven't been decided just yet. That being said, I don't know who I want to have Hinata or Itachi end up with. Much of the story thus far has been primarily focused on building Naruto & Sakura's relationship. More pairings will come though as the story progresses, but I want to make sure that I don't just cough out random relationships like Kishimoto did in Canon. Furthermore, I want there to be proper growth and development before a final pairing between two characters can be determined. Nevertheless, I hope you'll continue to enjoy my story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 12

Following their intense clash with Sasori; Naruto, Sakura and Lady Chiyo were moving as fast as their legs could carry to link up with Kakashi and Team Guy. Naruto was leading the way, navigating them through a narrow valley of wooden beams that hung just above the river flowing underneath. The route they were currently taking was the same one that Kakashi and his chakra-enhanced Shadow Clone had followed earlier when giving chase to Sasori's partner.

Naruto was also sticking close to his girlfriend and Lady Chiyo. Knowing that Sakura had to support the Suna Elder's weight, Naruto didn't want to get too far ahead of them. Not a single word had been spoken since they left the now demolished Akatsuki lair where Sasori's demise inevitably transpired. In an attempt to break the silence that had befallen the three, Sakura was the first to speak.

"How much further until we reach Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"He should be just up ahead with Bushier Brows sensei and his team." Naruto said.

"You know, I couldn't help but notice that you had an unusual look on your face earlier when sensei dispelled the Chakra-Enhanced Shadow Clone you sent to assist him. It was almost as if you received the memories of everything that your clone experienced. Wait a sec…" Sakura abruptly cut herself off as she finally pieced the puzzle together in her mind together. "Is that how you're able to lead us on the same path that Kakashi-sensei took earlier?"

"Yeah. It can be a benefit and a liability at the same time. You see Sakura-chan, when a Shadow Clone is dispersed, the original user absorbs all the information and experiences that the clone took in. It's a nice perk to have, but it can be a bit overwhelming when I make too many Shadow Clones." Naruto explained.

"I can imagine." Sakura chuckled a little at the thought before quickly changing the subject back to the Akatsuki. "What about Sasori's partner? "

"Apparently his name was Deidara, a rogue nin from Iwagakure. Based on the memories I received from my Shadow Clone, I think he must have possessed some sort of Explosive Release Kekkei Genkai. That wasn't the only interesting development. Kakashi-sensei has a Mangekyo Sharingan."

"If memory serves me correct, doesn't Itachi possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan as well?"

"Hai. But unlike Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, Kakashi-sensei's eye has a different ability, one that allows him to use some sort of space-time ninjutsu to teleport objects over a long range. During the pursuit to rescue Gaara, he told my clone to stay back a bit while he locked onto Deidara who was still riding on the back of his clay bird. From what I can gather, Kakashi-sensei must be still learning how to use his Mangekyo Sharigan's ability because he was only able to remove Deidara's other arm." Naruto explained.

"We'll have to ask Kakashi-sensei more about it when we catch up with him. What happened to Deidara after his arm was severed?" Sakura relented.

"My Shadow Clone used it as an opening to rescue Gaara. As I mentioned before we left the Akatsuki Hideout, Bushier brows sensei and his team weren't far behind us. They kept Deidara occupied while Kakashi-sensei and my clone stayed back to protect Gaara. In a last ditch effort to take as many lives as he could, Deidara used an Explosive Release Technique to blow himself up. Sensei used his Sharingan's ability again to teleport the explosion away just in the nick of time."

"Thank goodness." The pink-haired medic said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Sakura quickly turned her head slightly to look at Lady Chiyo, who appeared to be still quite exhausted from their earlier fight against Sasori.

"How are you holding up, Lady Chiyo?" Sakura asked inquisitively.

"I'm hanging in there as best I can, Sakura. Please forgive me for being such a burden to you two." The older puppeteer weakly replied.

"Nonsense, Lady Chiyo. Naruto and I are grateful to have had your help in dealing with Sasori. Things might not have turned out in our favor without your knowledge or expertise to back us up." Sakura said, causing a weak smile to form at the corners of her lips.

"Heads up, Sakura-chan! We should be coming up on the spot where we need to head into the woods." Naruto shouted.

"We're right behind you, Naruto!" Sakura shouted back before turning her attention to Chiyo once again. "Just a little bit further, Lady Chiyo. Ready to make jump?"

"Yes. I'm ready whenever you are, my dear." The retired Suna elder responded.

XXXX

Just a little ways up from their position, Kakashi of the Sharingan found himself being propped up by his eternal rival Might Guy. The former Anbu member was panting profusely, exhausted from the exuberant amount of Chakra used by his Sharingan. Due to the fact that Kakashi wasn't a member of the Uchiha bloodline, having received his left eye from his long deceased teammate Obito Uchiha, prolonged usage of the Mangekyo drained his body of Chakra much faster.

Kakashi knew it was a big gamble attempting to use the Kamui ability at such a long range without enough proper experience, but the silver-haired Jonin felt the risk was justified given that he was facing an opponent who continuously evaded every attempt that either himself or Naruto's Shadow Clone made to remove the clay bird carrying Gaara from Deidara's grip.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called out.

The Copycat Ninja turned his head slightly in the direction of Naruto's voice, finally seeing his two students accompanied by Chiyo as they descended from the tree limbs of the densely populated forest.

"Are you alright Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked in concern.

"I'm fine, just exhausted from using my Mangekyou Sharingan too much during the pursuit of Sasori's partner." Kakashi said while still panting a bit.

"Naruto already filled me in on most of the details on the way here. There was one piece of information in particular that piqued my interest; something about you having a Mangekyo Sharingan of your own. I think you owe us an explanation sensei." Sakura said.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to tell Naruto and Sakura the story of how he received his Sharingan from Obito during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. At the present though, the silver-haired jonin decided to gloss things over as much as possible and save that conversation for a more appropriate place and time.

"I've had this Sharingan since just before the Third Great Ninja War came to a close. The story of how I came to possess my Sharingan is a tale best saved for a later time. Needless to say though, I've had this Mangekyo Sharingan for a while now too, I just never used it until now because I still haven't truly mastered its ability as of yet. Perhaps with more practice back home, it could one day be used effectively."

"Enough about me though. Are you guys okay?" Kakashi inquired as he arched an eyebrow when seeing the condition of his students clothing. "Judging by the numerous small rips, tears and spots of dirt; would it be fair to say that you three had a tough fight with Sasori?"

"That would be putting it lightly. The one who really deserves the credit is Lady Chiyo." Sakura said.

"As flattered as I am Sakura, you were the one who stole the show. It was your cunning and quick thinking that led to Sasori's demise." Chiyo pointed out.

"Yeah you should've seen the look on Sasori's face sensei when Sakura-chan smashed his prized puppet to bits. She has gotten really strong while training with Grandma Tsunade in my absence." Naruto praised, causing Sakura's face to flush a bit.

"I wonder what gave you that idea Naruto?" Kakashi snorted, "Wasn't it proof enough when your girlfriend here smashed that boulder blocking the entrance to the Akatsuki lair like candy glass? Now you know what I had to endure when she destroyed part of our training ground."

Sakura glared at the masked pervert with a glint of killer intent shooting from her eyes.

Naruto took notice of this and thought it would be best to change the subject before the pinkette could let her temper get the best of her, "Hey Kakashi-sensei. Where's Gaara?"

"He's over there." Kakashi panted as he motioned over remnants of the clay bird that Deidra had used to flee on earlier.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he ran over to his friend.

"Take it easy Naruto. Let me take a look at him." Sakura requested as she knelt down beside the Kazekage and removed her black combat gloves.

Sakura's hand turned green. She slowly ran her hand over different parts of Gaara's body.

Starting to get a bit anxious to find out how his friend was doing, Naruto blurted out, "What is it Sakura-chan?"

"It looks like we arrived just in time. Gaara is definitely alive. Breathing and circulatory functions appear to be normal." Sakura began.

"Thank kami. But why hasn't he awoken yet?" Naruto asked.

As she completed her brief exam of Gaara in his current condition, Sakura took a moment to mentally prepare herself to deliver the sad news to everyone. She knew that none would take it harder than Naruto.

"I believe that Gaara has entered a comatose state, meaning his body has shut down to prevent any damage to his brain." Sakura replied sadly.

The instant Naruto heard those words, he felt himself begin to shake.

"Gaara… is in… a coma?" Naruto stammered.

Sakura looked up at the blonde and gave him a sad nod.

Tears ran down Naruto's face like a gentle August rain.

"God damnit!" Naruto shouted.

"It's okay Naruto." Sakura soothed, trying to calm her lover down.

"How is it okay, Sakura-chan? How is any of this OKAY!?" Naruto yelled in an emotional outburst, causing the pinkette to tremble a bit.

"After Sasuke's death, I swore to myself that I'd never let something bad happen to those I care about ever again. That's the biggest reason why I left to train with Pervy Sage for the last three years. And for what? The one moment that Gaara needed me most, I failed to be there for him."

"Please calm yourself Naruto. There is still hope that Gaara may come out of this unscathed." Chiyo calmly said.

"What the hell would you know!? You're the one who sealed the One-Tailed beast inside him. If you hadn't put that monster inside of Gaara, none of this would have happened!" Naruto accused angrily.

Lady Chiyo was taken aback by Naruto's sudden outburst and let out a small gasp in shock.

"You call us jinchuriki; human sacrifices. I hate when people use that word!" Naruto shouted through his tears. "Why can't people see that we aren't weapons? We are human beings too, able to express feelings and emotions just like everyone else."

"Gaara and I found common ground in one another after we fought during the Sand-Sound Invasion. We both faced similar upbringings, ostracized by the villagers and shinobi alike because they viewed us as the very same monsters we were forced to carry upon birth. No one should be allowed to decide that fate for someone else!" Naruto continued.

"Unlike Gaara though, I didn't know about the Nine-Tails until just before I became a Genin. When the truth was finally revealed to me, it all made sense. The stares, the hateful attitudes, the list goes on. You Sand Shinobi had no right to do this to him!" Naruto yelled as his emotional outburst came to an end.

"Naruto, stop it! That is no way to treat Lady Chiyo. Especially when she…" Sakura interjected, but stopped herself from continuing any further when she saw Lady Chiyo raise her remaining hand ever so slightly.

"It's alright Sakura. Naruto has every reason to be upset with me right now. The older generations, myself included, have been stuck in a reality where we live by outdated beliefs and customs. As I've spent time traveling and fighting alongside you three, however, I've come to learn that there is always time to make things right. I can understand why Gaara thinks so highly of you." Chiyo began.

"I know that this may be of little consolation now, but I think as good a place as any to start is by saying how sorry I am Naruto. From here on out, I fully intend to dedicate whatever time I have left on this Earth to continue what Gaara had started. I believe that strengthening the ties between our two villages will only lead to greater things in the future." Chiyo continued.

"Now if you'll allow me, I would like to take a moment to examine Gaara's medical condition myself. As the one who originally sealed Shukaku within young Gaara, I want to determine the extent of the damage that the Akatsuki managed to inflict upon the beast."

Everyone watched as Lady Chiyo's lone remaining hand consisting of human tissue turned green. Slowly pulling up Gaara's shirt, the retired Suna elder began to focus her Chakra on the unconscious Kazekage's stomach, making the original seal she used to contain Shukaku appear.

Taking a few moments to complete her brief exam, Lady Chiyo prepared to share her findings with the two Leaf teams.

"Sakura's initial diagnosis was correct. Gaara indeed is alive, as not all of Shukaku's Chakra was extracted. It doesn't change the fact though that he has gone into a coma. Aside from trying to protect his brain from damage, I suspect the reason that Gaara's body shut down was to prevent him from feeling any pain while Shukaku recovers." Chiyo concluded.

"Sakura, could you please use your Medical Ninjutsu to stabilize Gaara? I would do it myself but I am still low on Chakra after our earlier encounter with Sasori." Chiyo requested, getting a gentle nod from the pink-haired medic.

Once Sakura had finished giving Gaara some emergency first-aid treatment, Chiyo turned to Kakashi and said "We should head back to the Hidden Sand at once. Gaara will need further medical attention when we return."

The silver-haired jonin merely nodded and the group began to make their way back to the Hidden Sand as quickly as they could.

XXXX

On the way back to the Hidden Sand, the two Leaf teams rendezvoused with a large contingent of reinforcements from the Hidden Sand. Among them were Kankuro and Temari, who wasted no time in running to their younger brother's side.

"Gaara!" Kankuro shouted.

As the two eldest of the Sand Siblings knelt down beside their brother, Temari looked at Naruto with a serious expression on her face.

"Is Gaara alright? Were you guys able to make it in time?" The Sand kunoichi asked.

"Hai. We managed to reach the Akatsuki hideout just in time before they could fully extract the One-Tails from him."

"Why do I get the feeling that there's a but coming?"

"Gaara is in a coma right now. Sakura-chan was the one who made the initial diagnosis and Lady Chiyo confirmed it. I'm sorry that I didn't bring him back like I promised." Naruto sadly replied.

"We understand Naruto. You two connected when you fought. No one had been able to get through to Gaara until he met you." Temari said.

"Yeah. If there's one thing I'm grateful that come from being a jinchuriki, it was the fact that I got to meet Gaara. To know that I wasn't the only one out there who felt alone for all those years, was very humbling." Naruto said.

"You know Naruto, Gaara once said something very similar to me a few years back after we returned to the Sand following Orochimaru's failed plan." Kankuro.

Flashback

"I don't get it Gaara. Why do you feel so obligated to join the ranks of a regular shinobi unit? The superiors don't think well of you, hell a majority of the village is scared of you. You know that trying to shake the shackles off of being viewed as a frightening weapon won't be an easy feat to achieve, right?" Kankuro spoke to a motionless Gaara, who said nothing as he continued to look over the endless sea of desert sands that surrounded the village.

"I know…" Gaara finally spoke, getting a surprised reaction from Kankuro.

"Somehow, I've always known that the villagers and Shinobi of this village have always been afraid of me. The awful looks, their harsh words, even our father's repeated attempts to kill me on several different occasions when I was younger. All of those factors led me to believe that I was only better off looking after myself. It wasn't until I met _him _that I came to understand that there are reasons to live for; ways that I possibly have a positive impact upon someone else's life."

As Kankuro listened to his younger brother speak, he already knew who Gaara was referring to. He chose to remain silent though out of respect for his younger sibling as Gaara continued on.

"After Naruto and I fought during the invasion of Konoha, I learned a valuable lesson. Ignoring my attempts to tell him to stay away, Naruto continued to inch his way closer. Despite both of us growing up with noone else to connect with, Naruto didn't let that stop him from trying to find a way to be acknowledged. He went on further to explain that it was the strength in the bonds he forged with others that gave him a reason to fight."

"When I asked Naruto why he would go to such great lengths to protect someone else, do you know what he told me Kankuro?" The red-headed jinchuriki asked.

"No." Kankuro softly responded.

"He said it was his friends that saved him from his loneliness because they were the first people to accept him for who he was, regardless of the beast he carried inside. Instead of leading a life filled with misery and despair, Naruto chose to pursue a path that would not make himself happy, but act as a positive influence on those around him." Gaara passionately spoke.

"Gaara…" Kankuro said as a smile began to form in the crevices of his lips.

"Pain, sadness, happiness. These are all emotions that can be shared with others. They are also the reason why I want to work hard and be acknowledged by others too. Rather than continuing to live a life of hate and malice, I want to be someone that can be needed by others. Not as some hideous weapon, but as the next Kazekage of the Hidden Sand." Gaara finished, looking over his shoulder at Kankuro with a smile across his face.

Kankuro could only look back at his younger brother with pride. This was the first time he had seen him this happy in years. And he owed it all to Naruto.

Flashback End

"I thought of that very same memory the night Gaara duked it out with the Akatsuki above the village." Kankuro reminisced fondly as his eyes met Naruto's. "You have a gift Naruto, one that brings out the best in others including my brother. Even though Gaara didn't come back the way we expected, Temari and I are both grateful for everything that you and the other Leaf Shinobi that came here to assist us have done."

"Kankuro is right Naruto. You guys risked everything to come out here on such short notice just to save Gaara. And once again, we find ourselves in your debt." Temari added.

"There's no need to thank me Kankuro, Temari. Gaara is a friend and I will do anything to protect those that I care about."

"Thank you, Naruto." Temari whispered.

Getting back up on his feet, Kankuro looked over at his sister as he began to say, "I don't know about you sis, but I think we should head back to the Hidden Sand at once. Gaara will obviously need further medical attention upon our arrival. Plus I'm sure that Naruto and the other's have earned a few days rest before they head back to Konoha."

"Agreed." Temari said.

Despite everyone telling him that he wasn't to blame for what happened to Gaara, Naruto still couldn't help but feel some sense of responsibility. The blonde-haired jinchuriki's thoughts were overwhelmed with guilt and sadness, something that he hadn't felt since the day he awoke in the Leaf hospital after killing Sasuke.

Naruto suddenly snapped out of his stupor when he felt a pair of fingers being intertwined with his own. He looked down to find Sakura standing beside him, looking at him with nothing but a visage of love on her face.

The pinkette had known that Naruto was going through a lot right now with the news of Gaara's current medical condition. Just as he had been there for her in the days after Sasuke's passing, Sakura wanted to support Naruto in any way she could right now. She too wished that there was something more that she had to offer beyond just her love, but Sakura knew that it was the best thing she could do to be there for the man she had come to care about so much.

Two Sand Shinobi at the request of Kankuro and Temari had carefully begun to load Gaara's unconscious body onto a stretcher. The Sand Siblings thought it was the least they could do to alleviate the burden on the Leaf teams for all their hard work.

Once safely on the stretcher, a blanket was placed over Gaara's body save for his head to keep him warm. And with that, the two Leaf teams and the contingent of Sand Shinobi began their journey back to the Hidden Sand village.

(A Few Days Later…)

The two Leaf teams arrived back in the Hidden Sand alongside their comrades the following morning just as the sun had begun to appear over the horizon. Villagers and Shinobi alike stood at the entrance to the village, watching sadly as Gaara's lifeless body was escorted to the hospital.

Once Gaara was safely transported to the ICU for further treatment and close monitoring of his condition; Kakashi, Guy and Chiyo made haste in going to the Kazekage Mansion in the center of the village to recount the events of the rescue mission to Baki. With the news that their leader was in a coma, Baki called for a meeting of the council to determine the course of action that should be taken in Gaara's absence. Despite the call from a few of the members for a new leader to be appointed in Gaara's absence, the rest of the council argued that it was too soon given the fact that the red-headed jinchuriki had only become Kazekage within the past year. Until a suitable replacement could be found, it was agreed that Baki would stand in as interim Kazekage.

All the while, Team Guy had been spending much of their free time training or exploring the many sights that Suna had to offer. Lee and Tenten had even considered trying to reach out to the two members of Team Kakashi in hopes to cheer up their blonde friend, but Neji advised against it given what Naruto was going through with Gaara.

The blonde-haired jinchuriki in question was spending most of his own time with Sakura. After the close bond that the two forged before he left on his three-year training trip with Jiraiya, Naruto felt his pink-haired girlfriend was the only one who could really understand what he was going through at the present. Sakura's presence around the blonde was both comforting and reassuring to him.

Sakura continued to act as a pillar of strength for Naruto just as she had right after breaking the news of Gaara's condition to him. Naruto needed as much love and support as she could muster, which is why the medic-nin stayed close to the blonde over the course of their few free days together.

Proving to be even more inseparable than before officially becoming an item, the two continued to share a bed at night, dined out together and sparred with one another. Even though these might have seemed like such insurmountable acts to outsiders, Sakura knew that they were all simple ways to lift Naruto's spirits, taking his mind off of things.

When the day finally came for the two Leaf teams to depart Suna and begin their trip back home, everyone had gathered at the meeting spot in front of the Kazekage mansion, with the exception of a certain hyperactive blonde.

"Where's Naruto?" Lee asked.

"I think I have a pretty good idea where he went. You guys wait here. I'm going to go see if my hunch is correct." Sakura shouted as she ran off in search of Naruto.

"I can't believe how much has happened in the last few days. Between Gaara's abduction to finding out that one of our friends is carrying the strongest tailed beast all this time."

"And who can forget about the fact that Naruto managed to win the heart of Sakura-chan?! I fear that I will never be able to find a woman as beautiful as her ever again." Lee cried out in defeat.

"Now is not the time to be wallowing in your own self pity about Sakura being off the market." Tenten said as she whacked Lee upside the head, reminding the green spandex-wearing shinobi that now was time to be joking about such a serious matter.

Neji on the other hand was as quiet as a mouse. The reason for this was simple, as the Hyuga prodigy finally connected the dots about a lingering mystery from what took place during the Chunin exam finals.

Tenten noticed the serious demeanor on Neji's face and was curious to find out what had been running through her teammate's mind.

"You've been pretty quiet Neji. Thinking about Naruto?" Tenten asked, getting the Hyuga prodigy to finally snap out of his train of thought.

"Yes. Not just anything though. I've specifically been trying to piece together the mystery with regards to the strange phenomenon that took place during the chunin exams three years ago."

"Strange phenomenon? What are you talking about Neji?" The weapon mistress asked, confused by the Hyuga prodigy's vague explanation.

"I've had my suspicions for a while now that there was something special about Naruto. He all but confirmed my hypothesis when he shared with us his secret of him being the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. Do you recall what happened during the Chunin exam finals Tenten?"

"Kind of. I remember you sealed all of his Chakra points, yet despite your repeated attempts to get him to forfeit, Naruto refused to quit. He was somehow able to continue the fight after he drew on chakra from an unknown source. But what does all that have to do with the fact that Naruto was hiding something?" The weapon mistress relented.

"When I activated my Byakugan, I noticed an Orange Chakra that began to pulsate through every Chakra coil in his body, starting within his stomach and working its way outward. In addition, I observed that his injuries began to heal. I suspect that must be one of the Demon Fox's abilities."

"I wonder why Naruto didn't want to tell us the truth about the Kyuubi?" Lee asked.

"Think about it Lee. If you were in Naruto's shoes, carrying such a heavy responsibility on your shoulders for all these years, how would you feel if people blamed you for what the Kyuubi did?" Tenten argued, trying to make a point.

"I didn't think of it that way." Lee said.

"You are hopeless." Tenten groaned in annoyment from Lee's narrow-mindedness. "The point I'm trying to make is that most people old enough to remember what happened the night that the Nine-Tails attacked cannot look past what the Kyuubi had done. When they see Naruto, people see him as the beast he carries inside."

"Now that you mention it Tenten, I have noticed a number of expressions and glances that the villagers used to give Naruto when he was walking through the streets of Konoha. It truly dampens my most flames of youth to know that he was carrying such a huge burden alone for all these years by himself. Isn't there something we can do to cheer him up?" Lee inquired.

"I believe the best thing to do right now is let Sakura handle it. As his teammate and now girlfriend, she understands him better than any of us could ever hope to." The Hyuga prodigy stated objectively.

"Neji is right." Kakashi added nonchalantly as he strolled up to the three members of Team Guy. "Sakura is the only one capable of getting through to Naruto right now. After what those two had to endure following Sasuke's death, they forged a bond that none of us can even hope to match."

"I heard Ino mention something of the sort during one of our outings with the girls. Sakura seemed to miss Naruto quite a bit while he was gone."

"I think you're right Tenten. I'm sure that's one reason why she has been spending so much time with him. He needs to be in the company of someone who can get him to open up and talk about his feelings. Sakura is the right person for that job."

"Nevertheless, there is little doubt in my mind that Naruto will share the truth about the Nine-Tails with everyone else when he is ready. Until that time comes, I trust that you three will keep what you have learned about Naruto to yourselves?" Kakashi bequeathed, getting a unanimous nod from all three.

XXXX

In the ICU of Suna's hospital, Naruto looked on in sadness through the glass of Gaara's hospital room. He observed all the different machines that were currently hooked up to Gaara's body, including an electrocardiogram that kept track of the young Kazekage's heart rate and a ventilator running to help support his breathing.

Slowly entering the room, Naruto pulled a chair up beside his bed and took a seat. A small stream of tears began to flow down either side of Naruto's face. The blonde jinchuriki tried to conceal them by crying into the arm of his jacket, but it did little to stop the continued sobs that Naruto felt erupting from inside at the sight of his unconscious friend.

"I'm sorry Gaara." Naruto croaked, "I should have been here for you, but I wasn't."

A soft pair of hands snaked their way around his torso.

"I thought I might find you here." Sakura whispered, kissing his neck. "You okay?"

"I honestly don't know Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered sadly, his eyes not once leaving Gaara's motionless body. "One part of me is grateful that we were able to save Gaara before the One-Tailed beast was fully extracted. At the same time though, I just can't seem to shake this feeling as if there were something more I could have done."

Releasing her grip from around Naruto's waist, Sakura kneeled down beside him and took Naruto's closest free hand, holding it in her own. The pinkette took a brief pause as she tried to come up with just the right words to reassure her boyfriend and remind that the whole ordeal with Gaara's abduction wasn't his fault. After contemplating her options, tossing around ideas such as some of the generic lines one might find in a sympathy card at the corner market, Sakura decided to say screw it and just speak from the heart.

"You did the best you could Naruto-Kun. The Akatsuki blindsided everyone when they launched their surprise attack on the Hidden Sand. Plus I think we owe a huge thanks to Itachi. Had he not provided us with that intelligence, things could have turned out far worse for Gaara." Sakura said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Do you think Gaara will ever wake up again?" Naruto asked.

"All we can do is continue to hope that he will come out of this." Sakura replied.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. Having you here by my side is making this whole ordeal a little less stressful."

"I'm glad I could help. We better get going. Kakashi-sensei is waiting for us along with Guy-sensei's team." Sakura gently reminded.

"Okay. Can you give me a minute to say goodbye to Gaara?" Naruto requested.

"Of course. Take as much time as you need. I'll be right outside waiting for you whenever you're ready." Sakura said as she got up and gave the blonde a peck on the cheek before exiting the room.

Once the pinkette had left, Naruto turned back to Gaara to say his farewell.

"I don't know if you can hear me Gaara, but I'd like to think you can. When Temari told me that you had become the Kazekage, I won't deny that I felt a twinge of jealousy irking up on me at first. This was something I had to see for myself. A once blood-crazed lunatic turned the youngest leader in the history of the Hidden Sand. When the news came of your kidnapping, however, any hopes I had of reuniting with my friend and a fellow jinchuriki were quickly dampened by those Akatsuki bastards. As angry as I may be with them right now, there is nothing more important to me than knowing that you are safe from their filthy clutches. I swear that I'm going to make them pay for what they've done!" Naruto passionately spoke.

"It doesn't change the fact of how proud I am though to see that you took my advice and began to forge your own path rather than simply following one of being alone. You may have one-upped me by becoming the leader of your village first, but at least I can brag about finally getting the girl of my dreams. I'm sure you remember her Gaara. She's the feisty pink-haired girl that you had trapped against the tree trunk during our fight three years ago. I suppose in a messed-up sort of way, I should be thanking you for that. Seeing Sakura-chan fight for dear life like that made me realize that whatever I felt for her was more than just a simple crush."

"Anway, once I return to the Leaf, I think I am going to begin planning a journey to travel through the other elemental nations and find our other fellow jinchuriki. If there's one thing that's clearer than ever to me, it's the fact that the Akatsuki is growing bolder with each passing day. That's why I now feel obligated to warn the others before something similar happens to them."

"Don't give up Gaara. I want both of us to be able to see our dreams come true. I will continue to grow stronger and become Hokage one day just as I always said I would. This isn't goodbye. It's more like I hope we'll meet again one day in the future." Naruto finished, wiping a few stray tears lingering in the corners of his eyes.

(Meanwhile just outside the door…)

Waiting patiently outside Gaara's hospital room, Sakura watched for a moment as her boyfriend said goodbye to Gaara. The pinkette then moved over to the nearby wall, waiting patiently for Naruto to finish. A familiar face that Sakura had not expected to see slowly strode towards her.

"Hello Lady Chiyo. I didn't expect to see you again before we left to head home." Sakura greeted.

"Kakashi told me that you two would be here. I just wanted to come say goodbye before you both left." Chiyo replied.

"That's very thoughtful Lady Chiyo. Thank you!" Sakura said sincerely, giving the old puppeteer a warm smile.

"I am the one who should be thanking you Sakura. Even though we've only known each other for a short while, I have learned a great deal from you and Naruto during our time together, especially that it is never too late to make amends. You gave an old woman hope that this broken shinobi system of ours can be fixed." The old puppeteer smiled.

"Goodbye Lady Chiyo. I hope our paths will cross again in the future." Sakura whispered as she tearfully embraced the retired Suna elder.

"As do I, my dear. Please give my best to Naruto and be sure to tell him that I will personally be the one to get in touch via messenger bird if anything changes with Gaara's condition."

"I will." Sakura simply replied, releasing her grip on Chiyo and watched the old prankster slowly disappear down the hall.

Wiping a few stray tears from her eyes, Sakura turned her attention to the door of Gaara's hospital room as it began to slowly slide open, revealing a puffy-eyed Naruto.

"Are you okay Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked gently out of concern.

"Hai. Let's get going Sakura-chan. I don't want to keep the others waiting. Besides, we've got a long journey ahead of us." Naruto smiled weakly as he intertwined his fingers with Sakura's and began to walk back to the rendezvous spot so they could return home.

XXXX

(Meanwhile in Konoha…)

It was just another ordinary day for Konoha's most infamous pair of guards watching over the front gate. Izumo and Kotetsu were trying to find ways to pass the time.

Through their boredom, the two began to notice a lone figure off in the distance that was slowly coming into view. Neither Izumo nor Kotetsu could get a very good glimpse of who it was.

As the individual gradually inched his way closer to the main gate, Kotetsu noticed something about the individual's attire.

'He's wearing a black cloak with red clouds. He must be a member of the Akatsuki, the same group that Lady Hokage warned us about that are hunting the jinchuriki like Naruto. This isn't good. We better send for help.'

"Who do you think that is Kotetsu?" A baffled Izumo asked.

"Nevermind worrying about who it is Izumo. Go send for help! Gather any reinforcements that you can find!"

Almost as if on cue, three Anbu appeared. The leader being a purple-haired woman donning a porcelain mask resembling the appearance of a cat's face.

"Don't worry Izumo, we'll take it from here." Yugao said, quickly drawing her sword from holster on her back as she got into a defensive stance.

"You've got some nerve returning to the Leaf, Itachi. Especially after all the damage you inflicted when you slaughtered the entire Uchiha Clan." Yugao insinuated.

"Now isn't the time to be bringing up my past misdoings, Neko. I must speak with Jiraiya of the Sannin immediately, as I have important information for him. Please tell your men to stand down." Itachi requested through his exhaustion.

"Do as the man says, Yugao. Order your subordinates to stand down." An older man's voice called out.

"Lord Jiraiya? What are you doing here?" Yugao asked, shocked by the sudden appearance of the Legendary Toad Sage.

"I got word from one of my informants that he'd be returning to the village with important information for me." Jiraiya began, quickly taking notice of Itachi's weakened state, "And it would seem that he had finally arrived. It's been a long time Itachi."

"Yes it has, Master Jiraiya." Itachi weakly replied.

Still unsure of what to make of this sudden development, Yugao looked at the Frog Hermit with a confused expression on her face as she tried to get some answers, "Informant? With all due respect, Lord Jiraiya, just what the hell is going on?"

"I'm afraid that's classified Yugao. Please take Itachi to Anbu headquarters at once and see that he is given a private room. I don't want anyone else knowing of his presence until he has been seen by the Hokage. Furthermore, you are to guard him personally."

"You do realize that the Anbu only takes orders from the Hokage right?" Yugao retorted.

"I'm well aware of that Yugao, but this isn't the time or place to be questioning who has proper authority around here. Itachi and I have been acting under strict orders that were given to us by Lord Third some time ago. Bearing that in mind, could you have one of your Anbu inform Tsunade that her presence is needed at Anbu HQ for an important debrief?" Jiraiya politely asked.

"Lady Hokage is not going to be happy about this." Yugao muttered under her breath.

"You let me worry about Tsunade. Please just do as I ask." The Toad Sannin requested.

Yugao reluctantly nodded, motioning for one of her teammates to go inform the Godaime of this new development. The others meanwhile quickly made their way to Anbu hq, opting to take the rooftops at the suggestion of Jiraiya to keep Itachi's sudden return to the village under wraps for the time being.

XXXX

At the Hokage Tower, the Fifth Hokage was trying to catch some shuteye. This was the first time in days that the busty blonde had been able to take a break, what with Shizune's continued nagging to finish her endless paperwork and all. Everything was going well for her until a lone Anbu agent appeared in front of her desk, waking the blonde from her nap.

"Pardon the interruption, Lady Hokage. Your presence has been requested at Anbu headquarters immediately." The Anbu said.

"What in God's name for?" Tsunade groggily asked.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but Lord Jiraiya said that this is a matter of utmost importance." The Anbu replied.

"Fine. Tell the old perv that I'll be there as soon as I can." Tsunade scowled in response, getting a mere nod from the Anbu agent as he shunshined away.

Slowly getting up from her chair, Tsunade left her office without notifying Shizune where she was going. As she began to stomp the entire way down to Anbu headquarters, the busty Hokage hoped her former teammate had a good reason for dragging her down there. Because if he didn't, the old pervert was about to be in for the beating of a lifetime.

XXXX

When the Godaime arrived at Anbu hq, she found the Frog Hermit patiently waiting for her.

"You better have a damn good reason for dragging me down here."

Jiraiya paid no attention to Tsunade's jab, instead pushing himself off the wall and said, "Follow me."

Leading the Godaime down a narrow hallway, Jiraiya refrained from saying a word, stopping when they finally reached a door at the end of the corridor. Slowly turning the knob ever so slightly, Jiraiya pushed the door open, revealing a lone occupant sitting on the bed next to the window.

When Tsunade caught a glimpse of who the individual was, her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Greetings, Lady Hokage." Itachi said.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Tsunade asked in shock as she looked the Toad Sage whilst her mouth was still hanging a bit.

"It's time… you knew the truth." Jiraiya said, closing the door behind them.

XXXX

After listening to Itachi recount the events that led up to him being branded a traitor in the eyes of the village, a dumbfounded Tsunade needed reaffirmation from the last living Uchiha to ensure that what she had just heard was the true story behind the massacre. "So let me get this straight Itachi. After the Uchiha massacre, you became a spy and joined the ranks of the Akatsuki to keep tabs on them at the request of Sarutobi-sensei?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes ma'am. Prior to leaving the Hidden Leaf, I met with Lord Third to discuss the events of the Uchiha Massacre and what I would do after being publicly branded a traitor. In exchange for the guarantee that he'd protect and take care of Sasuke in my absence, Sandaime-sama assigned me a secret mission to infiltrate the Akatsuki. He went on further to explain that I would have two tasks to perform once I had successfully joined their ranks, which included keeping the group from away Konoha and gathering intelligence on their motives and other important information." Itachi explained.

"Hmph." Tsunade grunted. "Well I'll be honest with you Itachi. I'm at a loss for words. And that is something I rarely say."

"Itachi seems to have that effect on people." Jiraiya remarked.

"Be quiet you old pervert!" The busty Hokage barked, making the Frog Hermit cower in fear a bit after he instigated her latest fit of anger with his snarky comment just a moment ago.

"You're already skating on thin ice as it is with me after what Naruto told me about your antics during that three-year trip away from the village. However, if you want to get back into my good graces a bit, you could start by telling me what your role was in this whole ordeal, something that you seem to have conveniently left out thus far." Tsunade finished with a smirk beginning to form.

"Excuse me Lady Tsunade, but I think I can help fill in some of the gaps that Master Jiraiya has '_conveniently_' left out." Itachi spoke up bravely.

"There isn't really a lot of blanks that need to be filled Itachi so much as there is just one particular thing that keeps bugging me in the back of my mind right now. While I have little doubt that what you've just told me with regards to the Uchiha Massacre and Sarutobi-sensei's secret mission is true, the part that doesn't make sense to me is how you were able to slip the information you gathered to Konoha's spy master over here?" Tsunade pried.

"Once he had assigned me the mission, Lord Third gave me the location of a safe house where I was to meet with Master Jiraiya. From there, he briefed me on the various procedures that I would have to follow as part of Konoha's spy network such as how I would report my findings to him. At the suggestion of Master Jiraiya, he thought a good way for me to accomplish this task was if I sent a Shadow Clone to various drop off locations. This allowed me to maintain my cover while ensuring that the Leaf continued to have uptodate reports of the Akatsuki's motives, movements, etc." Itachi explained.

"Ah, that makes sense. I appreciate you telling me more about this. Now is there any questions I can answer for you before I take my leave and have some time to wrap my head around all this?" The Godaime inquired inquisitively.

Itachi remained silent as he mulled over his options. After taking all the information he had gathered on the Akatsuki's members into account, most notably Pain and the one calling himself Madara Uchiha, Itachi knew that Naruto would need to know the truth of his parentage to stand any remote chance of defeating either one of the group's leaders. With his decision firmly made, Itachi began to speak, "Actually, there is. Have either you or Master Jiraiya told Naruto the truth of his lineage yet?"

Caught off guard Itachi's unusual question, Tsunade scrambled to come up with an answer, "No. From what Sarutobi-Sensei told me, he was instructed to keep it a secret until one of two stipulations were met. Naruto either must turn 18 or become a jonin. Why?" The Godaime asked inquisitively.

Afraid that this might happen, Itachi let out a deep sigh before making his rebuttal, "Well you two may wish to reconsider that decision. With the threat that the Akatsuki poses even in their weakened state, Naruto will need to be stronger than he is now. For starters, the leader of the Akatsuki is a man going by the name of Pain. He possesses the same Dojutsu as the Sage of the Six Paths, the Rinnegan."

Upon hearing Itachi bring up mention of the Rinnegan, Jiraiya's mind immediately traveled back to the time during the Second Great Shinobi War when he met three orphans in war-torn Amegakure. Among them was a red-headed boy by the name of Nagato. Even years after he had left them to return to the Hidden Leaf, the Legendary Toad Sage distinctly remembered Nagato because of the first day that he had seen those eyes.

Coming back to the present, Jiraiya gave the Godaime a serious look. When their eyes met, Tsunade knew that the situation before them had become vastly more complicated than either one of them initially anticipated.

"That isn't all I'm afraid. Concealed in the shadows, there is another man pulling the strings. He wears an orange mask with one slit showing a Sharingan in his right eye. I don't know his true identity, but he claims to be Madara Uchiha." Itachi foreshadowed.

"Madara Uchiha? How the hell is it possible that bastard managed to survive when my grandfather defeated him in the Valley of the End decades ago!?" Tsunade cursed angrily upon hearing the name of her grandfather's old adversary.

"I haven't the faintest idea ma'am. Whoever this individual is though, he clearly had a hand in the events of the Nine-Tails attack sixteen years ago." Itachi stated objectively.

"That's a pretty bold accusation Itachi. Do you have any proof to back it?" Tsunade questioned.

"Yes. I once caught a glimpse of a familiar seal marking present on the man's back. It is the same sealing formula that I remember seeing in textbooks when I was younger used by Naruto's father." The rogue Uchiha said.

Looking over at her former teammate once again, Tsunade now found herself being backed into a corner, having to make one of the toughest decisions of her short political career. The Godaime had been planning to respect both her sensei's and Kushina's wish to conceal the identity of Naruto's parentage until he had met either of the criteria she just outline to Itachi, but that sentiment was now close to falling through the cracks. If the Akatsuki leaders were as powerful and dangerous as Itachi made them out to be, Tsunade believed that she may need to reveal the truth to Naruto prematurely so he could prepare accordingly. Either way, she knew that the decision she would have to soon make could have negative implications of her close relationship with the hyperactive jinchuriki.

"What you ask of me Itachi is not an easy thing to do. Since meeting Naruto, I have developed a close mother-son type relationship with him. For both myself and his godfather over here to tell him that we've been hiding the truth about who his parents were may not go over so well, especially when his father was the Fourth Hokage." Tsunade began.

"But if the Akatsuki leaders are as dangerous as you make them out to be, I have no choice but to give the matter some serious thought. Once I am done here, I will discuss it further with Jiraiya and we will decide where to go from there. Telling Naruto of his lineage is something we must tread lightly with right now because Naruto is already going through a painful experience at the moment with his friend Gaara being in a coma. Your sudden return to the Leaf has certainly complicated things as well. I think it's safe to say that you won't exactly be welcomed by the populace with open arms." The busty Hokage finished.

"My apologies for making things more difficult for you on such short notice Lady Tsunade, but when the Akatsuki began to grow bolder in their actions to capture the remaining jinchuriki, I knew that now was the only chance I had to return and aid Naruto. As far as the villagers and shinobi of this village goes, I know it will take time to earn their trust once again. You have my word that I will restore honor to what the Uchiha name should always have stood for." Itachi said with a hint of pride in his tone, something that the Uchiha hadn't felt in years.

Tsunade gave Itachi a small yet heartfelt smile before saying, "Very well. Before I can sign off on reinstating you as a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, you'll need to undergo a mental evaluation by Inoichi so we can have official documentation of everything you did while away from the village. Not that I don't trust the perv standing next to me, but you can't ever be too safe with the council and those old geezers always trying to pry into my business. Once that is done, we will need to discuss the remaining assets that belonged to your family and transferring them to your name."

"I understand. Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Itachi humbly replied.

Just as the two Legendary Sannin were about to make their exit from the room, Itachi began to speak up once more, "Before you and Master Jiraiya you take your leave ma'am, I have one more question that I wish to ask."

Arching an eyebrow in surprise, Tsunade decided to grant Itachi his request. The Godaime thought he had earned as much given all the weight on his shoulders for so many years. "Alright, shoot."

"When is Naruto expected to return to village?" Itachi queried.

"A few days from now. Why?" Tsunade replied.

"Nothing in particular. Just a promise I made that needs to be fulfilled." Itachi replied cryptically.

Tsunade looked over to Jiraiya only to get a shrug of the shoulders from the Frog Hermit.

After the Sannin had left, Itachi lied back on the bed and began to rest. For the first time since the night he was forced to make the hardest decision of his life, Itachi finally began to feel his sense of guilt ease up a bit from the knowledge that he was doing what was in the village's best interest. Just as he and his friend Shisui had always intended.

XXXX

(In Amegakure…)

Pain stood in his hideout overlooking Amegakure, waiting for the other Akatsuki members to reconvene. Watching as the never-ending rain continued to fall upon his village, Pain found himself interrupted from the sounds of the gentle droplets pinging on the roof atop his lair.

"What is it Zetsu?" Pain began.

"I went to the remnants of the hideout in the Land of Rivers. Sasori is dead." Zetsu stated, getting straight to the point.

"What of Deidara?" Pain asked.

"Nothing as of yet. I will be searching the surrounding area once I've left the old hideout."

"Very good. Report back as soon as you find anything." Pain ordered.

"Understood." Zetsu replied before the hologram vanished.

Just as his conversation with the venus fly trap Akatsuki member had ended, Pain heard another set of footsteps coming up behind.

"How much of that did you hear Konan?"

"Enough." Konan began as she emerged from the shadows. "Hidan and Kakuzu are the only ones to have reported in so far since that team from the Hidden Leaf interrupted the extraction ritual. There's been no word from Itachi or Kisame either. I don't know about you, but I have this strange feeling that something has gone awry amongst all the confusion."

"Perhaps… Itachi and Kisame were last known to have been near the border in Stone country, chasing down leads on the Four-Tails jinchuriki. I want you to go personally and find out what happened to them."

"Understood." 'Konan' said as her Paper Clone dispersed.

Returning his gaze to the never-ending rain, Pain began to wonder if Konan had possibly been right on her suspicions. Capturing the jinchuriki was crucial to his plan to bring the current Shinobi World to its knees. This one setback with the loss of the One-Tailed jinchuriki was but a minor occurrence. Anything further though would not be tolerated, especially with his goal now slowly coming close to being within his grasp. He would soon make all Five Elemental nations bow before him.

Little did the Akatsuki leader know that things were about to take a turn for the worst.

End Chapter 12

A/N: And boom! Finally got this Chapter finished. So to give you guys an idea of where things are going now that the Kazekage Arc is done, the best I can do is give you a hint that it involves the Hidden Cloud. The next update won't be ready for a few months, so please be patient with me. With this growing more intricate in terms of plot and length in each new update, I feel it's important to have ample time to craft a chapter that will be enjoyable to read and make sense. Thanks to my friend Tormint for helping me out with the occasional characterization and spelling/grammar issues whenever they arose. I hope you guys have a happy holiday season and safe new year! See you all next time!


	13. Chapter 13

Welcome back everyone to the next chapter of It's Better to Share the Pain. Sorry it took me so long to get this out, but I was sick most of December. Anyway, now that the Kazekage Rescue Arc has been concluded, we're going to start entering somewhat uncharted waters. For instance, with Sasuke being out of the picture in this story, the Tenchi Bridge Arc will never take place. In my timeline of events, we will instead see Naruto and company heading to Lightning Country next.

I tried my best to maintain a good balance of advancing the plot, while also having some lighthearted moments as well, including a small tease of addressing Hinata's feelings for Naruto and Sakura feeling a bit insecure/territorial as a result. Some of the decisions/changes I made in this chapter may or may not go over to well with you guys, but I hope you can respect why I chose to go the route I did.

With my brief rant/rambling now out of the way, I'd like to briefly respond to one or two reviews. Once that is done, I'll mention the usual disclaimer and then let you guys dig in to this chapter. Enjoy!

Diclonius13: Orochimaru will appear at some point in a future chapter, but I don't have any plans to have him reanimate Sasuke. I feel that is far too predictable and would rather do something that people won't see coming.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, original plot, etc. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 13:

(In an underground bunker beneath Konoha)

A Root agent was quickly running in search of his leader.

"Excuse me, Danzo-sama." The Root agent panted as he kneeled before the Foundation's leader.

"What is it?" The one-eyed Warhawk asked his subordinate.

"Sir, one of our agents stationed near the front gate reported seeing a lone Akatsuki member enter the village just a little while ago." The Root agent began to explain.

"Go on," Danzo said.

"The Toad Sage Jiraiya was there to greet him. They were last seen heading over the rooftops in the direction of Anbu HQ." The Root agent continued.

"Did our agent happen to catch a glimpse of what this individual looks like?" Danzo inquired.

"Yes. He had long black hair tied back into a loose ponytail and possessed unmistakable onyx eyes. Based on just those features alone, we believe the individual in question to be none other than Itachi Uchiha himself."

Danzo almost choked on air when he heard Itachi's name.

"I forgot to mention sir that the Godaime Hokage was also spotted leaving her office in a hurry. No doubt she was going to the same destination." The Root agent added.

Danzo knew that there had to be something more going on, especially if both members of the Sannin were seen going to the same destination. That led Danzo to one conclusion. Itachi's desertion of the village after the Uchiha Massacre and joining the ranks of the Akatsuki was nothing more than a cover story.

The Old Warhawk began to internally curse his own ignorance for underestimating Hiruzen.

With Itachi now back in the village and no doubt making his report directly to the Godaime Hokage, Danzo surmised it would only be a matter of time before the real timeline of events was made public knowledge. That and the fact that he had stolen one of Shisui Uchiha's eyes before _The Teleporter _could use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku Uchiha to stop the Uchiha Coup from ever taking place.

Rather than face punishment for what the opposition called treasonous acts, Danzo decided he would instead leave the village with the majority of his followers in tow and seek refuge in the Hidden Sound. There, he would carefully bide his time until he had enough incriminating proof that Tsunade Senju was leading the Hidden Leaf into a path of despair. Only then, the Old Warhawk rationalized, could he return and overthrow the current government to turn Konoha into a militaristic powerhouse.

But before he could do any of that, Danzo knew he needed to have eyes and ears placed throughout the village to funnel him information. If he could place someone close enough to figure out just what Itachi's role or purpose was while in the Akatsuki for the last eight years, that might give him the proof he needed that the rogue Uchiha was looking to set them up and capture the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.

"Begin making preparations to depart for the Hidden Sound at once! I want all important documentation destroyed as well. Do not leave a single trace of what the Foundation has been doing to protect the Leaf!" Danzo began.

"Yes Danza-sama! I shall make the necessary preparations at once!"

"Hold a moment." Danzo called, stopping the Root agent. "Leave a small group of our members to serve as double agents. In addition, have one of the more promising young recruits report to me at once. I have a special assignment for them."

The Root agent bowed once again and quickly disappeared to begin carrying out his orders.

All the while, Danzo wasn't showing the slightest bit of concern. The conniving Old Warhawk knew if Tsunade was anything like her former sensei, it would only be a matter of time before he could finally ascertain the mantle of Hokage as he had been patiently planning for years.

XXXX

(Meanwhile at Anbu HQ…)

Having just finished their debrief with Itachi, Tsunade and Jiraiya were now left pondering what their next move was going to be.

Tsunade was overwhelmed by the huge bombshell of information Itachi had just shared with her. She took a deep breath to help relax a bit as she turned to Jiraiya and said, "I certainly wasn't expecting this to happen."

"I told you that he seems to have that kind of effect on people." Jiraiya retorted.

Still on guard duty just outside of Itachi's room, Yugao Uzuki couldn't help but stifle a small chuckle from the busty Hokage's reaction. She looked at the Toad Sage and said, "I did warn you that Lady Tsunade wasn't going to take the news of your informant's return too well."

"Jiraiya's still in the dog house with me as it is for his perverted behavior that he apparently displayed while away from the village." Tsunade grinned deviously, causing the Frog Hermit's shoulders to slump while he sulking a bit.

"Oh lighten up you old perv. I was just kidding around." Tsunade laughed joyfully before returning her attention to the important matters she still needed to discuss with her old teammate.

"Neko, do you have a room where Jiraiya and I can talk in privacy without any prying ears?"

"Yes ma'am." Yugao replied, "Boar, could you please show Lady Hokage and Lord Jiraiya to the empty room just down the hall?"

Boar nodded and said, "If you two will follow me, it's right this way."

Boar led the two legendary Sannin to a vacant room at the other end of the narrow corridor. When they reached their destination, the mask-wearing Anbu member opened the door and motioned for Jiraiya and Tsunade to enter. Once the two were both comfortably situated at a small table in the corner of the room, Boar closed the door behind him without saying a word.

"So do you want to be the one to go first or should I?" Jiraiya asked in an effort to break the ice.

"Seeing you're the one who's been secretly corresponding with Itachi over the years while he was gathering information on the Akatsuki, you have a bit more insight and knowledge to offer than I do. Therefore, I think it's only fair that you start us off." Tsunade reasoned.

"Well, the information Itachi shared about the Akatsuki leadership is very troubling, particularly the part when he mentioned that this Pain character has the Rinnegan. In all of my time traveling throughout the elemental nations, there's only one individual that I know who possessed those eyes. You remember the three orphans I took under my wing and trained all those years ago during the Second Great War?" Jiraiya asked.

"Of course. How could I forget the sad expression on their faces, especially when that sadistic teammate of ours asked if he should put them out of their misery. Which one was it?" Tsunade inquired.

"Nagato, the boy with the red hair who didn't say much. The reason we never saw his eyes during our first encounter was due to the long red bangs that always hung over the front of his face, keeping the Rinnegan concealed. Nevertheless, I fear that Nagato and this Pain character Itachi spoke of are one in the same."

Her eyes widening slightly, Tsunade was curious to find out why her teammate was so certain of Pain's identity. She proceeded to ask, "How can you be so sure that it's him?"

Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Jiraiya replied, "I don't know. I just have this gut feeling that it's Nagato. The only way I can find out for certain if he is somehow involved in this whole ordeal is by talking with Itachi again. He's the only one that can help shed some light on this mystery."

"That's a good starting point. The one thing that's still rubbing me the wrong way, however, was when Itachi mentioned that bastard Madara Uchiha. How is it possible that he somehow managed to cheat death when my grandfather swore that he witnessed Madara fall to his knees at death's doorstep after they fought at the Valley of the End? Immortality, at least to my knowledge, is something that's practically unheard of."

"I can't honestly say, Tsunade. But it doesn't change the fact that we're dealing with two very powerful adversaries Pain and this masked-man claiming to be Madara." Jiraiya concluded, earning a nod in agreement from his former teammate.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair as she took a moment to let everything sink in. The busty Hokage knew that Jiraiya was right in his assessment about the leaders of the Akatsuki being a serious threat. If her teammate's suspicion about Pain being one of the Ame orphans he had stayed behind to train all those years ago proved to be correct, it would give them slight upper-leg against their foes.

What still bothered the Godaime greatly, however, was the man claiming to be her grandfather's greatest adversary that lurked in the shadows. Though Tsunade wasn't entirely convinced that this individual could very well be the genuine article, she couldn't afford to take any chances. Madara Uchiha was still revered through the Shinobi world to this very day as the most powerful member of the Uchiha Clan. So regardless of who the mystery man may be, Tsunade was determined to find out his true identity. And the key to revealing the truth now rested in the hands of Naruto and Itachi.

But before any further decisions could be made on matters such as telling Naruto of his lineage or reinstating Itachi as a Leaf Shinobi, Tsunade rationalized in her mind that she needed to first take precautionary measures to protect the source of their information from the elders, Danzo Shimura in particular. The only way she could do that was if all three of them were stripped of their power. Additional steps would need to be taken for Danzo though, arresting him and possibly going so far as to call for the Old Warhawk's execution.

Weighing her options carefully, Tsunade had finally come to a decision.

"You alright Tsunade?" Jiraiya inquired out of genuine concern.

"I'm fine Jiraiya. I was just taking a moment to contemplate what our next move should be."

"Any ideas?" Jiraiya pressed for further details.

"As a matter of fact, I did. I'm planning to reinstate Itachi as a Leaf Shinobi and assign him as a liaison to Team Kakashi. Before that can be done, however, we need to remove the elders from power. While Koharu and Homura didn't have a direct hand in Danzo's shady dealings, they still had a hand in pressuring Sarutobi-sensei to go through with the Massacre. And if those old geezers try to contest it, we have all the proof we need with Itachi."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Jiraiya asked in hopes for a more detailed explanation.

"Once we're finished here, I'm gonna head back to the office. Shizune is no doubt going to nag my ear off for leaving without telling her where I was going." Tsunade chuckled slightly from the thought of her apprentice.

"In any case though, I will have her begin to make the necessary preparations for a trial first thing tomorrow morning. Furthermore, I'm also going to send a messenger over to T&I to request Inoichi's presence at my office before he performs a mind walk of Itachi memories. I want to make sure we have official documentation of Itachi's memories on hand to dispute any bullshit claims or tales those three might try to spin to make themselves look innocent." Tsunade explained.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Jiraiya quickly followed up.

"Yes, there is. Go back down the hall and talk with Itachi one more time. Aside from trying to ascertain the true identity of Pain, find out as much information as you can from Itachi about the Akatsuki. I don't care whether it's names of their remaining members, how many tailed-beasts they've captured, etc. Just get me something that gives us an upper-leg over them."

"I'll get right on it." Jiraiya replied as he started to get up from his chair. "But what are we going to do about Naruto? He needs to be told of his lineage."

This was the one thing that Tsunade had dreaded discussing most.

"Dammit Jiraiya! I'm already being put in a difficult position right now as it is. And you certainly aren't helping matters any by restating the obvious."

"I don't care Tsunade. This isn't the time to be bull-headed anymore. Didn't you hear what Itachi said about the individual masquerading as Madara Uchiha?" Jiraiya shouted at his former teammate out of sheer frustration.

Tsunade's eyes widened in shock from hearing Jiraiya speak with such fire. It was a side she rarely saw come out of him. The Godaime said nothing as her former teammate continued to speak.

"Because in case you might have forgotten, he has the Hiraishin marking on his back. There are only two men in the history of the Hidden Leaf who have been able to use the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. Your Uncle Tobirama may have invented the jutsu, but Minato was the one who perfected it and used it extensively over the course of his Shinobi career to the point where it earned him the distinction as Konoha's Yellow Flash. If Naruto is to learn the same jutsu that made his father famous and use it to defeat Madara, he will need access to the scrolls that were left behind. And the only way he can do that is if he learns the truth of his lineage."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go talk with Itachi just as you requested. I'll swing by your office once I'm finished to report whatever findings I may have, but don't think for one second that our discussion about telling Naruto truth is over. I expect that the next time I see you, you'll be ready to make the right decision. This isn't an easy decision for me to make either, but the arguments I have made thus far are in the best interest of my godson." Jiraiya finished, giving Tsunade a very disheartened look before walking out the door and slammed it behind him, leaving an already emotional Tsunade speechless and in tears.

XXXX

(Just down the hall…)

Itachi was still lying down on the small bed that occupied his room within Anbu HQ. The Uchiha shot up when he heard the door click, slowly creaking open. His Sharingan flared to life, ready to dispose of the intruder in the event it was one of Danzo's Foundation.

As Jiraiya poked his head around the corner of the door, his hands quickly shot up to signify that he came in peace.

"Woah, easy there Itachi." Jiraiya reassured in an effort to calm his informant down.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Itachi's eyes turned back to their normal black color. He looked at the Toad Sage and began to apologize, "I'm sorry, Master Jiraiya. It was not my intention to scare you. One can't ever be too sure when member's of Danzo's Foundation are lurking throughout the village."

"I'm well aware of that Itachi, but Danzo's and the other elder's past misdoings should soon be a thing of the past." Jiraiya replied.

"How so?" Itachi asked while arching an eyebrow.

Pulling up a nearby chair, the Toad Sage plopped down and said, "Well I just got through talking with Tsunade and needless to say, she's starting to put some plans into motion as we speak. Among those is dealing with the elder council, including Danzo."

Itachi was genuinely surprised by this sudden development.

"I must say Master Jiraiya, I wasn't expecting Lady Hokage to act so quickly." Itachi said.

"Well the information you presented regarding the Akatsuki is deeply concerning and warrants swift action. It also just so happens to be the reason why I'm stopping by to talk with you further. I was hoping that you'd be able to help me shed some light on the leader of said organization."

"Of course. I'll help you in any way I can. What would you like to know?" Itachi asked.

Rubbing his chin a bit as he tried to figure out a good starting point, a question finally popped into the Toad Hermit's mind that he hoped would create a mental picture of what the Akatsuki leader looked like, "Why don't you start by describing to me what he looks like?"

Without hesitation, Itachi quickly replied, "Pain has orange hair. He also has numerous small black rods that are pierced through his nose and ears."

"Hm." Jiraiya hummed in response as he took a second to process the features that Itachi had just described.

Based on what he had heard so far, it wasn't enough to confirm his suspicions. Jiraiya decided to try a different approach instead, wondering if he could get his answer by asking Itachi who Pain kept close at his side.

"What about companions? Does he keep anyone close in his stead?" Jiraiya relented.

"Yes. Whenever Pain is present at meetings, there is a woman named Konan always standing by his side. She has blue hair and amber-colored eyes." Itachi answered.

"So it is them." Jiraiya sighed deeply.

Left a bit baffled by the Toad Sage's response, Itachi asked, "Are you acquainted with them?"

"Yes. Konan was a former student of mine. The other you described sounds more Yahiko. Something doesn't add up though because Nagato was a redhead and he possessed the Rinnegan. Yahiko on the other hand had orange hair. This mystery just continues to deepen." A stumped Jiraiya finished.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't have been of more help to you, Master Jiraiya. What do you plan to do with this information, especially now that you know one of your former students is somehow involved?"

"I'll have to give it some thought. If I were to guess, this will likely require further investigation to see what Yahiko and Nagato's roles are in the Akatsuki. In the meantime, why don't we discuss any other important information you might have withheld. Perhaps you could start by telling me how many tailed-beasts the Akatsuki has captured up until now." Jiraiya suggested in an effort to change the subject.

"The Akatsuki has already captured and extracted two Tailed-Beasts so far, those being the Five-Tails from Iwagakure and Seven-Tails of the Hidden Waterfall. As I explained to you and Lady Tsunade earlier, Pain intends to capture and extract all nine of the Tailed-Beasts and use them to create a weapon to bring all five elemental nation."

"What about the Akatsuki's next targets?" Jiraiya asked.

"While my former partner and I had been chasing down leads on the Four-Tails, another team had been dispatched by Pain to capture the Two-Tails jinchuriki somewhere in or near the borders of Lightning Country."

"That's a valuable piece of information to have. Too bad we don't have better diplomatic ties with Kumo." Jiraiya thought aloud.

"It might be in Naruto's best interest if we try to contact Kumo and share the information with them." Itachi suggested.

"Why?" Jiraiya asked.

"Based on the intelligence I was able to gather, there is another jinchuriki that is kept within the confines of the Hidden Cloud. This individual holds the Gyuki and has mastered its chakra, enabling him to work side-by-side with the beast. The only problem, however, is that the Gyuki's jinchuriki is very close to the Raikage." Itachi explained.

"Ah yes, Unruly A. It's been quite some time since I last had the pleasure of dealing with that overgrown ape. Can't say I'm too fond of the man.."

"If what you say is true though about the Gyuki's jinchuriki having befriended the beast and gained control over its power in the process, then this may be just the thing we need to help Naruto push his own training with the Nine-Tails to a point where he can do the same. The best chance we have to get our foot in the door would be if we can provide assistance in tracking down the jinchuriki that your former cohorts have in their crosshairs right now. I think Naruto's next destination should be the Hidden Cloud." Jiraiya reasoned.

"I agree. Now if you don't mind me asking Master Jiraiya, were you able to convince Lady Hokage to tell Naruto about his parents?"

"Unfortunately, no. Tsunade is being a stubborn mule herself right now and doesn't want to budge, so I'm letting her cool off a bit before I bring the matter up again." Jiraiya replied.

What didn't make sense to the Toad Sage, however was Itachi's sudden curiosity about Naruto. "You seem awfully interested in the brat. Care to explain why?"

"When I met up with Naruto during the Kazekage retrieval mission as you had requested, he was skeptical of where my allegiances truly lie. To convince him that I was on his side, I granted his request to know the truth of what really happened during the Massacre as soon as he returned to the village. That is why I had asked you and Lady Tsunade about when he was due back."

Not fully convinced just yet, Jiraiya cautiously inquired, "Are you sure that's wise a decision?"

"With all due respect Master Jiraiya, we've been working together long enough to the point where I thought you knew that I'm a man of my word. Don't forget that my story contains information that will give Naruto a better understanding of what he may face. So regardless of whether or not you want me tell Naruto the truth concerning those events, I intend to hold up my end of the bargain."

"Alright. I suppose it's only fair considering how much you've done to protect this village over the last seven years. As soon as Naruto returns, I'll tell him to come meet with you. When he does though, omit any details pertaining to Minato and Kushina. I'll see if Tsunade and I can come to some sort of an agreement when I go to see her after this."

"Understood Master Jiraiya." Itachi said.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other business to tend to." The Frog Hermit said as he got up and began to walk towards the door, but not before stopping to say one last thing to Itachi .

"Oh, and one more thing Itachi. Be ready for a trial first thing tomorrow morning. The Village Advisors and Danzo's days in power are about to come to an end."

XXXX

The village was abuzz in the days that followed after Itachi's trial. Tsunade had wasted little time in preparing a public announcement, pardoning Itachi and also announcing his immediate reinstatement as a shinobi.

What really came as more of a shock to the villagers and shinobi alike was the sudden shake up in leadership. News quickly spread that the Fifth had stripped the Village Advisors of their power and kicked them out of the Hokage Mansion.

As for Danzo, the search for him and the members of his Foundation that followed proved to be unfruitful. Tsunade decided that any remaining members of Root would form their own special unit in the Leaf Shinobi Corps, overseen by a former member of Danzo's organization named Tenzo. Tsunade didn't trust the Old Warhawk one bit and knew he likely left some of his people behind, looking for the slightest weakness to exploit.

XXXX

(With Itachi…)

After being declared a free man, Itachi's first order of business was paying a visit to the old Uchiha district at the edge of the village.

In the years since the massacre, his clan's old grounds had gone from a place that was once filled with so much life to nothing more than a soulless collection of rotting buildings covered by weeds growing on the exterior.

Slowly trudging through different parts of the Uchiha district, Itachi couldn't help but be reminded of the painful images and sounds that were forever burned into his mind. He could still hear the screams of men, women and children alike reverberating in the back of his mind, playing on an endless loop.

When he finally reached the compound that he had once called home, Itachi fell to his hands and knees. Fresh droplets began to stream from his tear-stained eyes, covering the ground like a gentle August rain. This was the place that Itachi had dreaded returning to most, as it represented where he had been forced to make the hardest choice of all that fateful night; killing his own parents.

Unlike their pain which had faded in an instant, Itachi would forever be haunted by the actions he undertook to preserve the peace of the Hidden Leaf.

It was for that very same reason why Itachi had selected Sasuke to be the one to punish him. Everything he had done over the years since the massacre, playing the role of the villain to make Sasuke hate him, had ultimately failed.

Now as the last true loyal member of the Uchiha clan, Itachi wanted to make good on his promise to the Fifth Hokage that he truly meant it when he stated his intention to rebuild the credibility of the Uchiha name. The only problem was, Itachi didn't know how he was going to do that just yet. In his struggle to find an answer, Itachi went to the Leaf's cemetery.

As he stood before his best friends grave, only one thought was flowing through Itachi's mind, 'What would you do Shisui?'

Itachi finally got his answer later that day when the Godaime requested his presence at the Hokage Mansion, where he was briefed of the upcoming mission he'd soon partake in.

XXXX

(A Few Days Later…)

Team Kakashi and Team Guy were relieved to see the sight of Konoha's main gate finally coming into view following their long journey back from the Hidden Sand.

Izumo and Kotetsu stopped both teams on the way in, wanting to pass along a message to Kakashi and Guy about orders from the Godaime.

While they were doing that, Naruto took this as an opportunity to thank and also apologize to his friends, "Before you guys go, I just want to say thank you for coming to assist us. Sorry about being so distant after we managed to rescue Gaara, but I needed some time to wrap my head around everything that's gone on."

"There's no need to apologize, Naruto. We understand that you're going through a difficult time right now." Neji said.

"Yeah, Neji's right. And don't worry about the whole Nine-Tails thing either. Your secret is safe with us, whether you decide to tell the rest of the Rookie Nine or not." Tenten added.

"Even in dampened spirits, your heart burns brightly with the flames of youth!" Lee exclaimed with his usual sense of enthusiasm.

"What did I tell you about doing things like that?" Tenten scolded, whacking Lee lightly on the back of his head.

"Sorry about that guys." Tenten quickly apologized before she offered up a suggestion that might help lighten Naruto's mood. "If you and Naruto are up for it Sakura, maybe we could do a little get together with the other members of your class from the academy."

"You know, it's funny that you mention it Tenten. I was just talking about doing something like that with Ino-Pig before we left for Suna. Once we know where things stand after turning in our report to Lady Tsunade, I'll see if I can touch base with Ino and plan a small welcome back party for this baka."

"Sounds good. We'll see you guys later!" Tenten shouted as she disappeared into the busy streets with Neji and Lee right behind her.

"I guess I'll be taking my leave as well, Kaksahi." Guy said.

"Thanks for your help Guy." Kakashi replied as he turned to his students, "Alright you two, let's go make our report to Lady Tsunade."

"Actually sensei, could we take a little break before we go see Granny? There's someone I've been meaning to visit and I feel a bit bad about not going to see him as soon as I returned with Pervy Sage." Naruto requested.

"Let me guess. Iruka?" Kakashi asked, getting an eager nod from his student.

Kakashi gave Naruto an eye-smile as he said, "Sure, I don't see why not. I'll meet you two in front of the Hokage Mansion in about an hour."

And with that, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

With their sensei no doubt going somewhere so he could continue reading his Icha Icha book, Sakura figured she probably should take care of a few loose ends herself before they had to meet up with the Godaime.

"I'm gonna swing by my house to drop off my things and let my parents know that we're back from our mission. Seeing that I'm back on active duty now, I doubt that I'll be spending as much time around the hospital. I probably should pay Ino-pig a visit too and start getting some plans going for that party."

"I can only imagine how that's gonna go. Ino will probably be more focused on trying to extract as much juicy gossip as she can about you and me rather than actually trying to plan a party." Naruto chuckled.

Sakura paled at the thought but knew her boyfriend wasn't wrong. The pinkette vaguely remembered the Yamanaka heiress had explicitly stated in so many words during their last encounter that she would be pressing for every minute detail down to the letter about her intimate time with Naruto. It would be a wonder if Ino had managed to keep her mouth shut for once. Sakura wouldn't put it past her though considering Konoha's self-proclaimed gossip queen couldn't go for one second without trying to stick her nose into someone else's business, especially when it just so happened to pertain to their personal lives.

Making a mental note to herself to kill Ino if she had even once flapped her gums to the wrong person about the fact that she was dating Naruto, Sakura quickly composed herself as she knew that they only had a short time to accomplish whatever they needed to do before meeting with the Godaime.

"If Ino so much as uttered one word about it when I specifically told her not to, she's going to be dead meat." Sakura spat with a small hint of anger as she talked of her best friend.

Trying to maintain a calm outward facade, Naruto felt a small shiver go down his spine. The jinchuriki still had yet to figure out how he had managed to do everything right thus far since entering his new relationship with Sakura. A small part of him wanted to believe his success stemmed from the fact that he had paid close attention while observing the habits of his perverted sensei, making careful notes on what to avoid doing that would earn his mentor a powerful right-hook to the jaw. If Naruto had to guess though, the reason things were going so well with the pinkette was because he could trust in the fact that what they had was genuine and real.

Coming back to reality, Naruto noticed that Sakura's brief stint of anger had quickly vanished. Her beautiful emerald irises gazed at him with nothing but a look of love and devotion embedded in them.

Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she watched her loveable idiot finally snap out of his stupor. That's when she finally spoke up, "Once I'm finished dealing with Ino-pig, I'll wait for you outside the academy. Be sure to tell Iruka-sensei I said hello."

"Will do. See you in a bit Sakura-chan."

Sakura gave Naruto a peck on the lips, flashing a loving smile at him as she left.

Taking a moment to ponder how he had gotten so lucky to be with Sakura, Naruto began to head off in the direction of the academy to visit an old friend.

XXXX

Naruto came to an abrupt stop as he finally reached the door to his old classroom. As a courtesy, the blonde decided to be polite and knock before entering. It was the least he could do after being such a troublemaker in his academy days.

Giving a gentle rap on the door a few times, Naruto patiently waited for a response until he heard an older man's voice from the other side hollar, "Come in!"

Gently sliding the door open, Naruto found his former instructor busy at work, grading what he guessed to be a pop quiz.

"Your textbook is right where you left Akira. Please try not to leave it behind again. I'd hate for you to become as careless as one of my former students who used to cause me nothing but headaches with his pranks such as painting the Hokage Monument in broad daylight." Iruka briefly ranted without looking up once as he continued with his task.

"Gee Iruka-sensei, I didn't think you would still hold that prank against me after all these years. In my defense, it did give the faces on the Hokage Monument a much-needed makeover." Naruto replied in a mock hurt tone.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Iruka's head shot up, his eyes quickly traveling over to gaze at the figure standing in the doorway. A smile began to form as the Chunin Instructor dropped what he was doing and swiftly ran to embrace the blonde-haired jinchuriki in a hug.

Releasing his grip on the blonde, Iruka took a moment to admire how much Naruto had changed.

"It's so good to see you Naruto. How have you been?" The

"It's nice to see you too Iruka-sensei. I'm a bit exhausted, but two to three days of traveling through nothing but sand and forests will do that to you. Sorry I didn't come to visit you sooner but the day after I returned from my training trip, Grandma Tsunade deployed my team to assist in the rescue of Gaara."

"No need to apologise Naruto. I heard you were back from Shizune when I ran into her in town the other day and she mentioned something about the Kazekage being kidnapped. Anyway, would you like to come have a seat? I am eager to hear more about your exploits while away with Lord Jiraiya."

"Uh, sure. I've got a little time before I need to see Granny."

"Excellent." Iruka said as he observed something was a little different with his former troublemaker of a student, "Before we talk about your training trip, I couldn't help but notice you have an extra spring in your step. Do you have a special lady in your life?"

"Hai. I'm seeing Sakura-chan now." Naruto chirped happily.

"Sakura Haruno eh? You sure picked a feisty one. I shouldn't be one to judge though seeing I'm attracted to the same quality in a woman. Keep this between you and me Naruto, but I've been seeing Anko Mitarashi for a few months now." Iruka grinned a bit.

Though he was a bit surprised at first by the scarred Chunin's choice of women, Naruto was genuinely happy for his former academy instructor. The two then went on to discuss Naruto's many adventures during his training trip with Jiraiya.

XXXX

(Around the same time with Sakura…)

After leaving her boyfriend so he could pay a visit to their old academy teacher, Sakura stopped by briefly at her home to drop off her gear. Her mother was the only one home, as her father was apparently out running some errands for their shop. Promising to fill her in on more of the details about Team Kakashi's recent mission to rescue Gaara when she got home later, Sakura ran out the door in search of the Yamanaka heiress.

When she reached the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Sakura took a moment to mentally prepare herself for the round of twenty questions that Ino would likely subject her to as soon as she set foot within the store.

Sitting behind the counter, casually flipping through the pages of a magazine stood one Ino Yamanaka. The platinum blonde was bored out of her mind at present, as it was proving to be a very slow day for business. Upon hearing the door chime as a customer walked through the entrance, Ino began to murmur the customary greeting that had been drilled into her skull from a young age by her parents, "Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. How can I help you?"

"Wow, you sure seem real enthusiastic, Ino-pig." A familiar voice jokingly jabbed.

Upon hearing her infamous nickname that her pink-haired friend had given her years ago, Ino perked her head up ever so slightly to see Sakura standing in front of her with a smirk on her face.

"Forehead? Where've you been? I know you said that you had a mission with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, but I didn't think you'd be gone this long."

"It's a long story piggy, so I'll give you the abridged version for now. An urgent dispatch came in from Suna the day after Naruto got back, requesting assistance to rescue Gaara."

"How is he? Are his brother and Temari okay?"

"Kankuro and Temari are fine. We also managed to save Gaara just in time before his tailed-beast was extracted by the Akatsuki."

"That's great! So where is your boyfriend?" Ino inquired, eager to get into the juicy gossip.

'And here it comes…' Sakura groaned internally.

"He's visiting Iruka-sensei at the academy right now." Sakura quickly responded, hoping that an honest answer would be the end of the platinum-blonde's questioning.

"Oh that's too bad. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of just how much of a stud he's become." Ino teased, a devilish smile starting to form in the corners of her lips.

A vein began to throb on Sakura's forehead. Much as she would love to give Ino a piece of her mind right about now, Sakura knew that her friend was trying to push her buttons. Taking a deep breath, Sakura let her pent-up anger just melt away.

"Wow forehead, I'm impressed. Normally you would've blown up at that. So what brings you by?" The Yamanaka heiress questioned.

"Well you remember we were talking about having a little get-together right with the rest of our friends?" Sakura replied.

"Yeah. What about it?" Ino asked.

"I was thinking you and I could put something casual and fun together for tomorrow night. Naruto has really been itching to catch up with everyone." Sakura said.

"I don't see why not. Where were you thinking of holding it?"

Struggling to come up with ideas at first, a venue that the pinkette and her friends finally came to mind, "Maybe at the grill Choji's dad owns."

"I think that might be doable, but let me double check with Choji first. I'll get back to you tomorrow morning with a definitive answer." Ino said.

"Thanks Ino!" Sakura cheerfully replied. "Sorry to cut this short, but I have to meet up with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei to give our report to Lady Tsunade."

"Not so fast, Billboard Brow. You promised me a run-down of what you and Naruto did while you were away. Now spill."

"I know I did Ino, but it'll have to wait for another time." The pinkette replied.

"Oh come on Forehead. What is so important that you can't even stop to tell me, you're best friend, about?" Ino whined.

"Pig! I'm not going to say it again. There are bigger things in play right now with the Akatsuki and my boyfriend just so happens to be affected by it." Sakura briefly elaborated as she tried to come up with another way to reassure Ino that she'd tell her the truth when the time was right, "Now I promise I'll tell you everything, but only when either Shishou or Naruto himself gives me permission to do so."

Sighing in defeat, Ino finally said, "Alright Forehead, fine. But I'm holding you to that."

"You have my word. Now I really do need to get going though Ino." Sakura said, waving to say goodbye as she ran off to meet Naruto.

The Yamanaka heiress on the other hand was left with more questions than answers. Just what had her best friend been talking about when she said that Naruto was somehow affected by the Akatsuki? What secret did Naruto carry that only a select group of people knew?

These were all questions that Ino was determined to get. But for now, she would respect Sakura's request and wait to be told the truth like everyone else.

XXXX

(Back with Naruto at the academy…)

With his long-overdue visit to Iruka now complete, Naruto was making his way to the exit of the academy. As soon as he opened the door, Naruto was greeted by the sight of his girlfriend, eagerly waiting for him just as she had promised she would.

Giving her boyfriend a quick kiss on the lips, Sakura was the first to speak, "So how did it go with Iruka-sensei?"

"It was nice being able to catch up with him. He mainly wanted to know what I was up to while out training with Pervy Sage. Girls also came up some point during our conversation too. I told him about us being together. I hope you don't mind." Naruto nervously asked.

"Of course not. Iruka-sensei has always been like a father figure for you." Sakura beamed with happiness. "We better get going. Shishou is no doubt waiting for us."

"Yeah. Granny's probably not gonna be too happy that I was the one keeping her waiting." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

The couple linked their hands and began to walk through the academy entrance to get back on the main road. Naruto and Sakura came to an abrupt halt when they noticed a large white dog was coming their way with its owner riding on back. Sakura immediately knew who it was and began to prepare herself in the event a certain shy Hyuga might be accompanying him.

Up until now, Sakura hadn't once felt the need to be insecure about her relationship with Naruto. Hinata represented the one major obstacle still standing in her way. She had to mark her territory while also being considerate of Hinata's feelings for Naruto at the same time. The pinkette felt the best way to start sending a message that the blonde jinchuriki was off the market was by doing simple gestures of intimacy, such as what they were doing right now in the form of holding hands.

"Woah! Slow down Akamaru." Kiba ordered his trusty companion. "Hey Sakura. Who's your new friend?"

"Ha ha ha. You're so funny, Kiba." Naruto sarcastically replied.

Picking up the familiar scent of his old friend, Kiba's eyes lit up, "Yo, Naruto! It's good to see you man! When did you get back from your trip with Lord Jiraiya?"

"Good to see you too Kiba." Naruto greeted the ninja hound user. "I got back with Pervy Sage just over a week ago, but I haven't really been in the village too much per say. Granny sent Sakura-chan and I on a mission with Kakashi-sensei to assist Suna. We just returned from that a little while ago."

"Oh, nice. So what are you guys up to now?" Kiba inquired.

"We're going to see Lady Tsunade for a debrief." Sakura cut in, hoping to keep their conversation short so she wouldn't have to run into Hinata. Unfortunately, the Hyuga heiress was quickly approaching alongside Shino.

"Kiba, please don't go running off like that. Kurenai-sensei is waiting for us at the training field." Hinata cut herself off as her pale eyes took notice of a familiar sight.

"H-hello, Naruto-kun." Hinata greeted her crush, beginning to twiddle her thumbs as she tried her best not to stutter and pass out.

"Hey Hinata." The oblivious idiot cheerfully replied. "Nice to see you as well Shino."

Shino gave Naruto a small nod in acknowledgement.

Grateful to finally see some of his other friends again, Naruto wanted to take a little time to catch up. It was not a sentiment that the pinkette standing next to seemed willing to share.

Sakura's jealous streak had already begun to burn inside from the moment Hinata greeted _her boyfriend_ with the same honorific she too now used. Scrambling to come up with a way to remove herself and Naruto from their current predicament, Sakura tightened her grip on Naruto's hand.

The blonde yelped loudly and said, "Ow! Why are you squeezing my hand so hard, Sakura-chan?"

Giving him an innocent smile, Sakura tried to deflect Naruto's question by reminding the jinchuriki that they had somewhere else to be, "Come on baka. We still need to go see Lady Tsunade."

Watching as Sakura dragged Naruto off towards the Hokage Mansion, Kiba couldn't help but notice that something was off with the two, Sakura in particular.

"Is it me or was Sakura acting really weird with Naruto just now." Kiba stated objectively.

"I think your assessment is accurate, Kiba. Sakura and Naruto's fingers were linked. That typically represents a sign of intimacy." Shino added.

"Intimacy huh? So that means Naruto and Sakura could be dating. Looks like you missed out on your chance Hinata."

Upon hearing Kiba insinuate that there was a chance her crush was now off the market, Hinata began to feel lightheaded and passed out.

Acting on instinct, Kiba quickly moved to support the now passed out Hyuga and carefully lifted her onto Akamaru's back.

"Ah well, we better go meet up with Kurenai-sensei." Kiba said.

Shino nodded in agreement.

XXXX

After being dragged halfway across the village by his girlfriend, the young couple found themselves standing in front of the Hokage Mansion, waiting for the masked pervert to show up.

Naruto was a bit baffled by Sakura's unusual behavior. In an effort to find what the cause might be, Naruto decided to ask her what was wrong, "Sakura-chan, you're acting really weird. Is everything okay?"

"O-of course." The pinkette stuttered a bit. "I didn't want to be late. That's all."

"Please don't lie to me, Sakura-chan. There's clearly something else bothering you. Can you tell me what's wrong?" Naruto asked.

Sakura said nothing as stared down at the ground.

"Would it have something to do with Hinata?" Naruto questioned.

Shocked that her boyfriend was able to discover what had been bothering her so easily, Sakura asked, "How did you know?"

"I could tell because you weren't acting like your usual self. Plus, you've only squeezed my hand with your strong grip twice since we started dating. And in both instances, you did it when there was something serious on your mind. Now, please tell me what's wrong so I can make it better." Naruto repeated with genuine sincerity once more, which is all it took for Sakura to finally cave.

Sighing in defeat, Sakura finally replied, "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I was really nervous."

"Why did you feel nervous? It was just Hinata." Naruto said.

"That's the problem Naruto. Hinata has feelings for you. Much longer than I have." Sakura explained, only to get a clueless look from the blonde.

"Haven't you noticed the way her cheeks turn red, twiddles her thumbs, stutters whenever she tries to talk, or even that she faints if you even lay the slightest finger on her?" Sakura asked, but Naruto still had no idea what she was talking about.

Her patience wearing thin, Sakura decided to take a more direct approach in hopes that her idiot boyfriend would finally understand what she meant, "Damnit Naruto! The reason I was so nervous is because I felt insecure while in Hinata's presence. I thought that you might change your mind about being with me when you saw what she really looked like instead of just taking my word for it. I… mmph"

The pinkette was cut off as Naruto passionately pressed his lips against hers.

Breaking off the kiss, Naruto put his hands on both of Sakura's shoulders to reassure her, earning the pink-haired medic's full attention.

"Sakura-chan, I thought I made it clear that I don't care what any other girl looks like. You are the most beautiful kunoichi in this village, hell probably the entire world." Naruto reassured, causing some tears of joy to glaze over Sakura's beautiful emerald eyes.

"So please believe me when I say that you are the only girl for me. Hinata is just a friend to me and nothing is going to change that." Naruto finished as he locked his lips with his pink-haired lover once more.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, deepening the kiss briefly until the two finally pulled away.

Wiping the remaining stray tears from her eyes, Sakura looked at Naruto and could say nothing more than, "I love you, Naruto."

"I love you too." Naruto smiled.

Just then, a puff of smoke appeared next to them, revealing their sensei Kakashi Hatake with his face indeed still buried in Jiraiya's newest Icha Icha book. Turning to look at his students, Kakashi gave them a lazy wave and said, "I think we've kept the Godaime waiting long enough. Let's get this over with."

His students nodded and followed him inside the Hokage Mansion.

XXXX

When Team Kakashi arrived at the Godaime's office, the busty Hokage looked up from her current task and said, "I was wondering when you three were planning on showing up."

"Sorry to keep you waiting Granny. I wanted to go visit Iruka-sensei." Naruto replied.

Giving the blonde-haired knucklehead a reassuring smile, Tsunade got up and walked around her desk to wrap Naruto in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry about Gaara. How you holding up brat?"

"I'm hanging in there, Granny. I wish there was something more I could have done for Gaara, but I suppose the best thing I can do is hold out hope that he'll wake up from his coma one day."

"Well if he's anything like you brat, I'm sure he'll pull through just fine. Now, why don't you begin filling me in on the Akatsuki." Tsunade said as she took her seat once more.

"We were successful in defeating at least one member of the Akatsuki. Naruto and Sakura took down Sasori of the Red Sand with the assistance of his grandmother, Lady Chiyo within the group's hideout. While my students were engaged in their fight, I gave chase to Sasori's partner, Deidara of Iwagakure. Thanks to Naruto's quick thinking of sending a Chakra-enhanced Shadow Clone to assist me, we managed to rescue Gaara from Deidara's clutches. Sadly, I can't say for certain whether he is dead or alive. I had to use my Sharingan to teleport Deidara away before he could commit suicide and inflict damage upon myself or Guy's team. In conclusion though, the mission to rescue Gaara was a success." Kakashi finished.

Satisfied with Team Kakashi's results, Tsunade smiled and said, "You three did well. I'm giving you all a few days off before I assign you your next mission. And while we're on the topic, there's a few things you should know. The first is that you'll be going to the Hidden Cloud." The busty Hokage began to explain.

"Excuse me Shishou, but why Kumogakure?" Sakura interjected.

"It comes at the suggestion of Jiraiya's informant, who was able to discover that one of Kumo's two jinchuriki has managed to tame the beast they hold and now works alongside it as a two-man team. I believe this is something that Naruto has started to work towards as well according to the old perv." Tsunade smiled a bit at the blonde jinchuriki, who gave her a fox-like grin in response.

"In addition, we've learned that a two-man team is currently trying to hunt down their other jinchuriki as we speak. That's why I plan to send you three to Lightning Country in hopes that we can assist in tracking down the Two-Tails' jinchuriki before the Akatsuki can capture her."

"I think I understand where you are going with this Lady Tsunade. By doing so, this would give us a possible chance for Naruto to learn from their other jinchuriki so he can work alongside the Nine-Tails." Kakashi said.

"You're right on the money Kakashi. And you won't be carrying out this mission alone. I have decided to assign Jiraiya's informant as a liaison to Team Kakashi. His extensive knowledge of the Akatsuki will prove to be a valuable asset. I assume you are all familiar with the identity of the man I'm speaking of?" The Godaime inquired.

"It's Itachi right?" Naruto blurted out.

"That's correct brat. Itachi's has already been briefed on the details." Tsunade said.

"He's also waiting to see you." Jiraiya said as he hopped in through the open window.

"Pervy sage? What the heck are you doing here?" Naruto asked the Frog Hermit.

"Itachi Uchiha is back in the village and is waiting to see you. Once you're done here, go see him at his new apartment just off the Market District." The Toad Sannin replied as he handed Naruto a piece of paper with directions to Itachi's new residence on it.

"Can't you ever use the door you damn perv?" Tsunade chastised.

"Where would the fun it that be Tsunade? You know just as well as Sarutobi-sensei did that I hate to stay in one place for too long." Jiraiya joked.

"Whatever." Tsunade groaned in annoyance, turning her attention instead to her apprentice and Naruto, "Sakura, I want you to accompany Naruto. I think it's best you both knew the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre, as one of the people involved in that whole fiasco is also a powerful member of the Akatsuki. When you're done talking with Itachi, come back and see me. There's something else we need to discuss, particularly pertaining to you brat."

Left a bit baffled by the Godaime's remark, Naruto turned to look at his girlfriend, who didn't even know what to make of it herself.

Shrugging it off for now, Naruto and Sakura took their leave and went in search of Itachi.

Once they were gone, Kakashi briefly looked up from his book again and said, "If you won't be needing me for anything Lady Tsunade, then I'll take my leave as well."

"Not so fast Kakashi. I want you to stay put right where you are. There's something that Jiraiya and I wish to discuss with you. It involves telling Naruto about your former sensei."

Kakashi's lone uncovered eye widened in shock.

"Are you serious?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. Itachi gave us a rundown of what Naruto might face down the road and it isn't pretty." Jiraiya replied.

"Though I was reluctant at first, Jiraiya and I agreed that the need to tell Naruto prematurely has arisen. I think it's best if you took a seat Kakashi so we can fill you in on the details." Tsunade said, motioning for the silver-haired Jonin to take a seat.

XXXX

(With Naruto & Sakura…)

"Well this must be the place." Naruto said as he stood in front of a small apartment complex located in a more secluded and peaceful part of the village.

With Sakura close by his side, the young couple made their way to the top floor of the building, finally stopping when they reached the door to Itachi's residence. Naruto knocked gently a few times.

As they waited for Itachi to come to the door, words couldn't even begin to describe how nervous they were. The reason for this was simple. Itachi Uchiha represented one of the biggest mysteries in the Hidden Leaf to the younger generations. Sure, everyone knew what he did the night of the Uchiha Massacre, slaughtering his entire clan. But based on what the Godaime had told them, Itachi had a story that vastly differed from what the village was originally led to believe by the higher ups.

Footsteps could be heard slowly coming towards the door until it slowly opened to reveal one Itachi Uchiha.

"It's good to see you again Naruto." Itachi greeted.

The blonde knucklehead tried his best to put on a fake smile to mask his nervousness.

"And you must be Sakura. You're Naruto's teammate right?" Itachi asked, extending his hand out of courtesy to shake with Sakura.

"Hai. I'm also his girlfriend." Sakura whispered shyly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sakura. Please come in. We have a lot to talk about." Itachi stepped to the side to allow Naruto and Sakura to enter.

Once everyone was comfortably situated, Itachi was the first to speak up, "So Naruto, Master Jiraiya tells me that your mission to save the Kazekage was a success."

"Yeah. I can't begin to thank you enough for that Itachi. Had Pervy Sage not requested that you meet up with me, Gaara could have ended up in a far worse scenario. But enough about that, Granny Tsunade said you were waiting to talk to me about the Akatsuki." Naruto replied.

"Yes. The foes that you are going to face at some point in the not so distant future are very powerful. But before I get to that, I do have a promise to fulfill. You wanted me to tell you the truth of what really happened before, during and after the Uchiha Massacre took place. So let's begin." Itachi said as he started to tell Naruto and Sakura the true story behind the Uchiha Clan's downfall.

(A few hours later…)

"And so you see Naruto and Sakura, I didn't know who this man's identity until we began to close in on the Akatsuki lair. It was at that moment he revealed himself to be Madara Uchiha." Itachi finished, leaving Naruto and Sakura speechless.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, the Nine-Tails had been listening the entire time. The Demon Fox began to growl in anger when he heard Itachi mention _that man's name_.

'Hey Kyuubi. Is everything okay?' Naruto asked the Nine-Tails.

'**No. I was listening to Itachi's story. The Madara he spoke of is the same one who took control of me the night of your birth sixteen years ago.' The Demon Fox replied. **

'Are you sure?' Naruto inquired.

'**Without question. I met him many years ago before he went into battle against the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.' The Kyuubi began to explain. **

'How…' Naruto began ask, only for the Nine-Tails to quickly silence him.

'**Save your questions for later. Come within your subconscious as soon as you can. There is much we need to discuss.' The Nine-Tails instructed, severing their connection. **

Naruto spaced out for a moment as he tried to wrap his head around what the Nine-Tails had just told him.

"You okay Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not sure. I just spoke with the Nine-Tails. He said that Madara Uchiha was present the night I was born."

"So my suspicions were correct. The same man who helped me wipe out the Uchiha was also the one who fought the Fourth."

"What are you talking about Itachi?" The pink-haired medic inquired.

"The man claiming to be Madara must have faced the Fourth. During their battle, he placed a seal on Madara; the formula for the Flying Raijin." Itachi answered, turning his attention back to the blonde jinchuriki, "Naruto, how much progress have you made in working with the Nine-Tails?"

"I can control up to three tails of its power. The Kyuubi and I started to communicate more openly after an incident in the Hidden Mist when Pervy Sage and I were assisting the rebels."

"I see. Did the Nine-Tails say anything else?"

"Apparently there is something else he wants to talk about. If you guys don't mind, I'd like to meditate so I can communicate with him." Naruto said.

"Of course." Itachi replied as he turned his attention to the pinkette, "Sakura, would you care to join me for some tea in the kitchen? I think we should give Naruto some time alone so he can see what the Nine-Tails has to say."

"Uh, sure." Sakura reluctantly agreed.

Slowly standing up to follow Itachi, Sakura looked at Naruto and said, "I'll be in the next room if you need me."

"Okay, Sakura-chan." The jinchuriki smiled in response.

Naruto sat down in a cross-legged position and closed his eyes as he began to meditate. Within a few minutes, he was standing in front of the Nine-Tails' cage in his subconscious.

'Hey Kyuubi. I'm here as you requested.' Naruto greeted the large Demon Fox.

**Slowly awakening from his nap, the Nine-Tails looked upon his host and said, 'You're punctual as always, brat. Now where was I?'**

'You were starting to tell me about the first time you encountered Madara Uchiha before he fought against the First Hokage.' Naruto reminded.

'**That's right. I still remember the day I met that bastard for the first time." The Nine-Tails reminisced as he began to share his tale with Naruto.**

Flashback

The Nine-Tailed fox stood in an unknown location, gritting his teeth in anger as he looked down upon Madara, waiting for him to speak.

"I have been looking for you, Nine-Tails. What a pity it is to see you at only a fraction of your former strength. Madara insinuated.

"**Shut up." The Kyuubi warned.**

"You are just an ignorant, unstable power…" Madara continued to belittle the Tailed Beast.

"**Shut up." The Nine-Tails reiterated once more, his eyes narrowing as his anger only began to culminate further. **

"Those who shall guide you are the Uchiha. You Tailed Beasts are simply servants of those with Visual Prowess!" Madara boldly stated.

"**Shut the hell up!" The Demon-Fox roared in anger. **

Madara made a hand sign with two fingers, his eyes widening as the Sharingan flared to life.

"Obey!" Madara said, placing the Demon Fox under a Genjutsu.

Flashback End

**'I don't remember what happened after that bastard took control of me with his Sharingan. At some point during their fight, Hashirama used his Mokuton Jutsu to sever Madara's control over me. When it was all over, Hashirama deemed me too powerful to be allowed to walk free, so his wife took matters into her own hands and sealed me inside of her, becoming the Leaf's first jinchuriki. Her name was Mito Uzumaki.' The Nine-Tails finished. **

'So that's why you hate humans so much.' Naruto stated objectively.

'**What?' A puzzled Nine-Tails looked at his host.**

'It all makes sense why you have such a deep resentment towards humans. That one encounter with Madara Uchiha is what started it all, wasn't it?' Naruto asked.

'**You aren't as dumb as a lot of people make you out to be.' The Nine-Tailed Fox jabbed, 'But yes, you're correct. It is because of Madara Uchiha that I have harbored such a distaste for humans all these years. His narrow-minded perception of viewing me as nothing more than a weapon is no different than most other beings that I've encountered. It is because of humans like him that I've always been labeled me as a monster with no emotions and therefore deserved none in return. But you have proven to be quite an unusual exception to that ideology. You may find this hard to believe brat, but you are the first host that I have willingly talked to since being sealed away.'**

'You know Kyuubi, I always wondered why you chose to communicate with me more openly considering that you were once plotting ways to incite my anger enough to the point where the seal would break and you could become free. What made you change your mind?' Naruto asked.

'**I tolerate you because you're the first human that has had the common decency to treat me with a modicum of respect. Or perhaps what I should say, the first being that is since the Sage of Six Paths.' The Nine-Tails corrected himself.**

'That's the person Pervy Sage was telling me about. He said Sage of Six Paths was the one who supposedly invented all known ninjutsu or something along those lines.' Naruto added.

'**I suppose that's a fair description of the Old Man.' The Fox laughed a bit before returning to the topic at hand, 'Something you should know about each Tailed Beast, Naruto, is that we hate being treated as weapons. We too want to be treated as beings that feel the same emotions you humans do. That is the other reason why I have been a bit more willing to work alongside you. You have been showing me through your actions and words alone that perhaps not all humans are bad.'**

'Well let's not forget about that incident in the Hidden Mist during the training trip with Pervy Sage that initiated our unusual pact.' Naruto chuckled.

'**Indeed.' The Nine-Tails snorted from the faint recollection of past incident his host was speaking of. **

Taking a moment to regain his composure, Naruto still had a burning question in his mind, 'Hey Nine-Tails, can I ask you something?'

**Arching an eyebrow, the Demon Fox replied, 'What is it you wish to know?'**

'How many other jinchuriki have there been in the history of the Hidden Leaf?' Naruto inquisitively asked.

'**Only two. As I stated earlier, Mito Uzumaki was the first. When her health began to deteriorate, a girl from the same village was brought to the Leaf to become my next container.' The Nine-Tails began to elaborate.**

'What was her name?' Naruto quickly followed up.

'**Kushina Uzumaki.'**

'Another Uzumaki? Why did the village select two people from the same clan?'

'**Though the Uzumaki clan is now largely non-existent, they were renowned for their sealing Justu, large reserves of Chakra and strong longevity.' The Nine-Tails answered.**

'Well what happened to Kushina?' Naruto pressed the Tailed Beast once more for further information.

The Nine-Tails paused as he carefully considered what he was about to tell his host. Tired of waiting for the pervert and the old bag to tell Naruto the truth, the Kyuubi decided to take matters into his own hands.

'**She died the night you were born. Both herself and her husband gave their lives to save their son and the village in the process.'**

'Woah, slow down a sec there Kyuubi. The fate of Kushina Uzumaki is beginning to sound a bit like the story that Iruka-seansei taught us in the academy all those years ago. If memory serves me right, it's the same one in which the Fourth Hokage was killed sealing you inside of me not long after I was born.' Naruto analyzed.

'**A keen observation brat, but that's only one part of the story. The Yondaime took the Yin Half of me with him to his grave using the Reaper Death Seal. He sealed the Yang Half in his son to protect the village should the same masked man try to attack again in the future.' The Nine-Tails explained, watching with curiosity as his host tried to put two and two together.**

'If Kushina Uzumaki died the same night I was born… and the Fourth Hokage sealed half of the Nine-Tails in his own son… then that must mean…' Naruto stopped abruptly as the realization finally hit him. 'I'm the son of Kushina Uzumaki and the Fourth Hokage, aren't I?'

**Still surprised that Naruto had been able to figure it out, the Kyuubi hesitantly replied, 'Yes. You are the legacy of the Fourth Hokage.' **

Naruto was at a loss for words right now. Every time he asked Lord Third about who his parents were, he got the same answer.

'There's no use asking that. It won't bring the dead back.' The Third's words echoed in his mind.

Recalling that the busty Hokage had previously stated there was something important she wanted to tell him, Naruto figured that the truth of his lineage was the very secret she'd been alluding to.

'I can't believe it! All this time, I was told that my parents were nothing more than ordinary people. And now they just decide to suddenly change course, knowing that I was the son of two great heroes right along!?' Naruto shouted angrily, tears beginning to run down either side of his face.

The Nine-Tails, known to be the embodiment of evil and hatred, couldn't help but look on in sadness to some small degree as his host tried to process this shocking revelation.

'How could they!' Naruto choked out through his sobs. 'I trusted Jiji, Granny Tsunade and Pervy Sage. And this is how they repay it!?'

**Having remained silent, the Nine-Tails decided to offer some reassuring words in hopes that it would help Naruto ease his pain, "I will leave you to address this as you see fit. And for what little it's worth, I'm sorry Naruto.'**

'A part of me wants to hate your guts for keeping me in the dark for all these years. But another part is grateful that you at least came clean and told me the truth. Thank you Kyuubi.' Naruto said.

'**Kurama.' The large Demon Fox corrected.**

'What?' A confused Naruto asked the Tailed Beast.

'**Idiot. You're the one who said that you wanted to know what my name is. You may call me Kurama.' The Nine-Tails repeated once more.**

'Oh, uh… thank you, Kurama.' Naruto stuttered briefly, his attention now set on going to pick a bone with the two legendary Sannin, "Now if you'll excuse, I need to go confront Granny and Pervy Sage. They have a lot of explaining to do."

'_**Good luck, brat**_**.'** Kurama thought to himself as he settled back down in his cage, closing his eyes to rest once more.

Coming back to the real world, Naruto wasted no time as he stood up and began to bolt for the door.

Sakura and Itachi, who were just coming back into the room, had no idea what Naruto was doing.

"Is everything alright, Naruto?" Itachi asked.

"I'm sorry to cut this short Itachi, but I need to go see Granny and Pervy Sage. They've been hiding something from me and it's about damn time that I confront them over it." Naruto replied without looking back once as he ran out the door.

"Naruto wait!" Sakura shouted as she began to chase after him, but stopped when Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura, what Naruto is about to learn from Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya is something that will dramatically change everything for him. He is going to need someone like you to lean on more than ever."

"What are you talking about Itachi?" Sakura asked.

"If I were to guess, the Nine-Tails must have told Naruto who his parents were." Itachi surmised.

"Parents? But I thought that he was the orphan of ordinary civilians?" The medic-nin questioned.

"No. Naruto is the child of a woman named Kushina Uzumaki and her husband, the Fourth Hokage." Itachi replied.

Sakura was in pure shock right now, especially the part when Itachi stated Naruto's father was none other than the Yondaime himself. The pink-haired kunoichi wanted to smack herself in the head for not noticing the resemblance sooner.

"Did you know about this?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. I was the one who convinced Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya to tell him the truth about his parents because he will need access to the scrolls his father left behind if he is to defeat Madara." Itachi explained. "Now, go. You should be present to help him through this. "

Still a bit shaken by the bombshell revelation, Sakura gave Itachi a reluctant nod and sprinted out the door in the direction of the Hokage tower.

Closing the door behind her, Itachi could only hope that he had made the right choice in pushing for the truth to come out.

XXXX

(At the Hokage Mansion…)

Tsunade, Jiraiya and Kakashi were still in the middle of discussing Itachi's return and the parameters of Team Seven's upcoming mission, when Naruto suddenly barged in through the door with a serious look on his face.

"You two have some explaining to do." Naruto spat angrily at the two Legendary Sannin.

"Explain what?" The two Sannin replied.

"My parents. I want to know what happened to them the night they died sixteen years ago! And don't you dare think about lying to me! Kurama told me who they were."

Unsure of who Kurama was, Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at one another, both wondering how Naruto had been able to figure out the truth on his own before they could break the news to him.

Growing impatient with their lack of response, Naruto yelled, "I'm only going to ask one more time! Am I the son of the Fourth Hokage or not!?"

End Chapter 13

A/N: And there we go guys! I hope you don't hate me for leaving you hanging to find out what happens next.

This was a long chapter and took me quite a while to finish, mainly due to how much stuff I had to setup and cover all at the same time. The next chapter shouldn't take quite as long to do (I hope lol).

Feel free to let me know what you guys thought! As always, thank you for your continued support and I'll see you guys next time!


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys. So here, at long last, is the next chapter of It's Better to Share the Pain. I'm not gonna lie when I say that I'm pretty rusty at this thing called writing, but it sure feels good to be back. Fair warning that this is the longest chapter yet, clocking in at around 19,000 words.

Anyway, this chapter picks up immediately right where we left off at the end of the previous one when Naruto was confronting Tsunade and Jiraiya over his lineage. We will also see things such as Sakura helping Naruto process the revelation, the family dinner with Sakura's parents that I teased a while ago and a couple of other surprises that I don't want to spoil. You'll just have to read it to find out!

Now with that brief overview out of the way, I want to respond to one or two reviews left by readers. Once that is done, time for the disclaimer and then straight to reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Guest: I will be elaborating in more detail on what happened between Naruto & Kurama that brought them to friendlier terms in a future chapter. I don't want to do it right now because it's meant to tie in when Naruto begins to learn how to control Kurama's power later on in the plot.

Thanks to everyone else who left reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places, original plot, etc. All rights respectively belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 14:

The atmosphere in the room had grown tense. Naruto was seething with anger, growing more and more impatient with each passing second as he waited for a response from either Tsunade or Jiraiya.

"Are you guys going to give me an answer or not!?" Naruto shouted.

The two Sannin looked at each other once more as they now found themselves in a difficult position. Neither one was quite sure who should be the first to speak. Tsunade believed that Jiraiya was the best equipped to answer Naruto's question, seeing that he was named Naruto's godfather.

Jiraiya took the Godaime's silence as her way of saying that he should be the one to reply. The Toad Sage braced himself for however his godson might react. He looked Naruto square in the eyes and said, "Yes. Your father was Minato Namikaze."

It was at that very moment in which time seemed to stand still. Naruto began to clench his fists tightly, tears staining his cerulean orbs as he struggled to come to terms with the fact that he was the only child of the late Fourth Hokage.

Just as he had the night that Mizuki revealed the truth of the Nine-Tails attack, Naruto felt like his world was coming crashing down. Everything that Old Man Hiruzen had told him of his parents was nothing but a lie. And now, the busty Hokage and his perverted sensei had done the very same thing.

Tired of being lied to, Naruto was determined to get some answers from the two Legendary Sannin without them trying to sugarcoat or bullshit their way through this.

"How could you? You guys knew who my parents were all this time and chose not to tell me?" Naruto lashed out.

Anticipating that things might take a turn for the worst, Jiraiya tried to justify his reasoning by saying, "It wasn't simply a matter of choice, Naruto. There's a lot more going on than you realize."

"Well how in the hell do you expect me to understand if neither of you was willing to tell me why my lineage has been withheld for so many years!?" Naruto shouted in between sobs.

"It was done for your own protection." Tsunade interjected, "Your mother left very strict instructions with Lord Third just before she died, explicitly stating that you were only to be told the truth when certain criteria had been met. The lone exception to this was if a situation dire enough arose in which it was in your best interest to be told prematurely."

Confused by the Godaime's vague explanation, Naruto pressed Tsunade for more information, "Hang on, Granny. You said this was done for my own protection. Why?"

"Your father made several powerful enemies over the years, especially in that of the Hidden Stone after what he did at the Battle of Kannabi Bridge during the Third Great War." Tsunade elaborated further.

"Yes. And with such a high price on his head in the bingo book, protecting those who were close to him was a matter of the utmost importance. That's why your parents were married in secret. It's also for that very same reason Lord Third sealed your records and gave you your mother's last name. If even one word got out that Minato Namikaze had a child, the next person they'd come after was his only child." The Frog Hermit added.

"My father should have thought about that before he sealed half of the Nine Tails inside me." Naruto mumbled just loud enough for the others present in the room to hear.

"Naruto…" Kakashi started to speak as he tried to intervene and ease the tension.

"Stay out of this Kakashi-sensei. My gripe is with Granny Tsunade and Pervy Sage right now." Naruto cut Kakashi off before he even had a chance to finish his sentence.

"I don't want to hear a single excuse from either one of you, trying to defend what my father did. Because instead of being hunted down by his enemies, I became the village's scapegoat." Naruto spat angrily.

"For twelve years, I was the one who everybody affected by the Nine-Tails incident took out their anger and hatred upon. The minute my father chose to seal the Nine-Tails inside of me was the point in which he condemned me to a life of misery and loneliness. How could he do that to his own son? Did my father even care what happened to me?" Naruto bravely choked out while trying to hold back some fresh tears from recounting his difficult upbringing.

"Of course he did." Jiraiya tried to reassure, "Your mother and father gave their lives to save not only you, but this entire village as well. It was Minato's dying wish that you be seen as a hero."

"A hero? How could I be seen as a hero in the eyes of this village when most of its inhabitants still hold grudges against the tailed beast I was forced to carry upon birth? They blamed me for what happened to not only the countless innocents, but also those that were lost fighting to protect the village. If Jiji hadn't been so secretive about what really happened the night I was born, maybe my life wouldn't have been so difficult."

"To be fair, Naruto, nobody knew the full extent of the truth until just recently. Itachi has filled in some of the blanks for us, but you clearly seem to know more than you're letting on to. Who is this Kurama you spoke of when you came barging in here just a few minutes ago?"

"I'm not saying anything more. Because as far as I'm concerned, neither of you deserves to know the truth until you can fully appreciate what that word means."

"Listen here you ungrateful brat! I've had just about enough listening to you tarnish your parent's memory like a spoiled little two-year old, especially when they gave their lives to save you. Does that not show how much your parents loved you and the lengths to which they were willing to go just to ensure that their only child could have a future even if it meant neither of them was around to raise you!?" Jiraiya asked.

"The sacrifice my parents made might have meant something if you or Granny Tsunade would've actually just told me the truth sooner! I mean honestly, is it too much to ask for considering the fact that my dad was one of your students?" Naruto countered in response.

"Look, I get the fact that you feel hurt and betrayed, but Sarutobi-sensei and I did what we thought was best to keep you safe from your father's enemies. And don't think for one second that I took any such pleasure in watching my godson suffer and be alienated by the rest of the villagers. Keeping the truth of your lineage a secret is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do."

"That's it! I can't take anymore of this bullshit." Naruto choked out between sobs as he bolted for the door.

What Naruto and everyone else present in the Hokage's office had not realized was that Sakura had been patiently waiting just outside the door. The pinkette arrived not too long after Naruto started to confront the two Sannin and she had overheard everything. Sakura was trying to put on a brave face right now, but internally, she was struggling to hold back her own tears out of concern for her boyfriend.

Watching as Naruto ran right by her without even acknowledging her presence, Sakura called out in hopes to get the blonde's attention, "Naruto! Where are you going?" Sadly, her efforts were in vain as Naruto kept on going without looking back.

"Just leave him be, Sakura." Tsunade's voice carried across the room.

"But, m'lady…" Sakura started to object.

"Tsunade is right, Sakura. We both knew that telling Naruto the truth about his parents wasn't something he would take well."

Sakura was deeply disappointed with how her mentor and the Frog Hermit had just handled the situation, the latter in particular after he practically brushed their heated exchange of words off as though nothing happened. This caused Sakura's stubborn, short-tempered side to start flaring up.

The pink-haired kunoichi had become increasingly protective of Naruto and she was not about to hold back while speaking her mind, even if the two individuals on the receiving end were among the most respected Shinobi in the Hidden Leaf.

"Well who could blame him?" Sakura snapped, catching her mentor and Jiraiya by surprise.

She stamped into the room and slammed the door behind her, glaring at the Sannin with anger clearly evident in her eyes, "Don't give me that look. You two full-on knew what would happen if you suddenly decided to drop a bombshell of that caliber on Naruto. How would you feel if something so life-changing was being kept from you all these years?"

Neither Jiraiya or Tsunade knew what to say. For the Toad Sage, in particular, Sakura's current display of her temperamental side was almost reminiscent of the time that Kushina caught him peeping on some women at the bathhouse. Thinking back on that whole experience along with the countless other verbal and physical beatings Kushina gave him was enough to make Jiraiya almost turn white.

Meanwhile, in the background, Kakashi was currently deep in thought. The Copycat Ninja was trying to come up with a way that he could help Naruto process the news of his lineage. Kakashi could empathize with Naruto to some degree because he too had grown up in the absence of his parents. The only jarring difference between himself and Naruto was the fact that his father had been around for the first five years of his young life, until he came home from the academy one day and found Sakumo's lifeless body.

Though that painful image still haunted him to this very day, Kakashi reminded himself that this was not the place and time to be thinking about his own painful childhood. No, this was a time to make good on the promise he made to Sakura three years ago when the two talked just after her visit with Naruto at the hospital. Something had to be done before things could spiral out of control any further. Kakashi led off by saying, "Sakura has a point."

"Not you too Kakashi?" Jiraiya asked.

"Sorry, Lord Jiraiya. But given how things just played out, I have to agree with my student that you and Lady Tsunade could have found a better way to break the news to Naruto." Kakashi replied.

Jiraiya scoffed and went on to say, "Don't try to pin the blame solely on us Kakashi. You're just as guilty as we are." Jiraiya refuted.

"And I'm not denying that. But unlike you and Lady Tsunade, I plan to own up to my shortcomings and do something about it." Kakashi said.

Unlike the Frog Hermit, who seemed more fixated on squabbling with Kakashi about who should rightfully bear the blame for their current predicament, Tsunade knew that the Copy Nin had raised some valid points.

The busty Hokage couldn't forget the pain she saw on Naruto's face; how broken the otherwise happy-go-lucky blonde was upon finding out that they'd been lying to him about his heritage. After forging such a close bond with Naruto four years ago, Tsunade was determined to repair some of the damage she had inadvertently caused. She couldn't go through the experience of losing someone else she cared about as she had with Nawaki and Dan. That meant they all had to make finding Naruto their first priority right now.

"Jiraiya, do us all a favor and shut the hell up!" Tsunade shouted at the top of her lungs, "I don't want to hear anything more about who is in the right or wrong. We need to focus on finding Naruto and helping him through this."

Jiraiya quickly clammed up after Tsunade's outburst sent a shiver down his spine.

"Thank you." Tsunade said, now turning to look at Kakashi, "If you have a plan Kakashi, I'd like to hear it," Tsunade said.

"I'll explain in a minute ma'am," Kakashi replied, quickly diverting his attention to Sakura.

"Sakura, do you think you can find Naruto?" Kakashi asked, quickly getting a vigorous nod from the pink-haired medic.

"Good," Kakashi said, turning back to the Godaime, "Now to answer your question Lady Tsunade, what I'm proposing is that you let Sakura and I take Naruto to his parent's house."

"Go on…" Tsunade said.

"I know it may seem like an unusual request to be making right now, given how distraught and betrayed Naruto feels. But I think if he were to spend time in a place that was once filled with so much warmth and love, perhaps Naruto could then truly begin to understand and appreciate just how much his parents were willing to sacrifice to protect him. In addition, Sakura and I will be there every step of the way to help Naruto through this; to make sure he knows that he's not alone." Kakashi said.

Cautiously optimistic about Kakashi's plan, Tsunade asked, "Do you think it'll work?"

"I cannot say for sure. But then again, we're not really in a position right now where we can afford to have Naruto brooding over this for a lengthy period of time either. The Akatsuki poses a serious threat as we continue to learn more about them. That's why Sakura's part in this is so crucial. Do you remember what I said in the report I sent after we rescued Gaara, m'lady?" Kakashi questioned.

"Vaguely. I believe you mentioned something about Naruto being rather distant from everyone with the exception of my apprentice." Tsunade replied.

"That's right. During our brief stay in Suna, Sakura was the only one that could get Naruto to open up. Her gentle touch was very calming to him, something I assume she must have learned from you and Shizune while treating patients at the hospital. It's for that very same reason I believe she is best-suited to comfort him now. Sakura is the one person I know Naruto will listen to and she can get him to see reason when nobody else can."

Tsunade let out a deep sigh, "Alright Kakashi. We'll try things your way." The Godaime reluctantly agreed.

"Thank you, ma'am." Kakashi bowed, turning his attention to Sakura one more time, "Once Naruto's had some time to cool off, come meet me near the Dango Shop. I'll be hanging around there for a little bit while I catch up with an old acquaintance." The silver-haired jonin instructed.

"Understood sensei," Sakura said, brimming with confidence.

And with that, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Now that it was just herself, along with her mentor and the frog Hermit, Sakura began to ponder just how she would go about handling her current predicament. Finding her boyfriend wasn't the issue that worried Sakura.

The thing that concerned the pinkette more was just how she'd approach helping Naruto through this shocking revelation.

Sakura was pulled from her train of thought when she heard the Godaime begin to speak.

"Well, it seems like you've certainly got your work cut out for you Sakura. But what's going to happen if Naruto doesn't want to be found?" The busty Hokage inquired.

"I'm not just going to stand by and watch the man I love go through this by himself, Shishou. Naruto needs someone by his side to help him through this. And I fully intend to do just that, no matter how much he might try to push me away." Sakura decreed.

"You're a lot like his mother in that regard. Stubborn and short-tempered. Don't you agree, Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes. Which reminds me… " Tsunade's response trailed off as she opened a drawer in her desk and rummaged through some things until she finally pulled out a small wooden box, "If you're so determined to go look for him, take this."

The Godaime handed it to her apprentice, who took a moment to examine the intricate design that had been painstakingly carved by hand. Sakura noticed at the heart of the box on the cover was a familiar symbol. It was the same symbol that all Chunin and Jonin flak jackets in Konoha had stitched on the back.

Lifting her head up slightly so that her eyes met that of her mentor's, Sakura asked, "What is this Shishou?"

"That box belonged to Naruto's mother. It was found amongst Lord Third's belongings while his office was being cleaned out just before I took over as Hokage. In the event that something were to happen to him before he could give the box to Naruto, the Sandaime left clear instructions for any potential successor to follow the stipulations set by Kushina. Naruto was to be given the box when he either became a jonin or turned 18 unless a situation arose that warranted telling him prematurely." Tsunade explained.

"And because the latter ended up happening, nobody knows what Kushina left behind inside that blasted thing due to the elaborate seal she placed on it," Jiraiya groaned in annoyance.

"You mean Fuinjutsu?" The pinkette asked inquisitively.

"Yes. Kushina was very skilled in it. She taught Naruto's father a number of various sealing techniques unique to her clan. But this particular seal is a bit more elaborate in nature, requiring the recipient to first bite their finger as they would before performing a summoning jutsu." Jiraiya added.

"I will make sure to relay that last bit of information to Naruto when I find him. Is there anything else you want me to bring to his attention?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. I want you to take this as well." Jiraiya said, handing a scroll to the pink-haired medic.

"That contains some basic explanations and exercises for Fuinjutsu. If Naruto is to learn how to use the Flying Raijin, he'll first need to have a better grasp of seals. So make sure you get him to start working on that." Jiraiya instructed.

"Understood," Sakura said.

"Now before you go, Sakura, there's one more thing I want to say. And I think I speak on behalf of Tsunade and myself when I say this," Jiraiya said, getting the pinkette's attention.

"As Naruto's godfather, I really screwed up and wasn't around when the kid needed me most. I know you may not think too highly of me at the moment either, but it's reassuring to know that he has such a loving and supportive woman by his side to help him through these difficult times."

Sakura gave a gentle smile and went off in search of her boyfriend, leaving the two Legendary Sannin with a renewed sense of hope that Naruto would come around when given the appropriate time and space to process the shocking revelation of his lineage.

XXXX

Sakura had spent the better part of an hour looking throughout the village for her blonde idiot. She had canvassed several spots already such as Ichiraku's, the academy grounds, and even the blonde's apartment; all of which to no avail. That left only one other place to look.

The pink-haired medic began making a mad dash in the direction of the Hokage Monument as fast as her legs could carry. Sakura recalled her boyfriend's words to her when they ate ramen together atop the Fourth's likeness that night three years ago. It was the one place he went to whenever he wanted to be alone.

As she began to ascend the stairs to the top, Sakura's hunch proved to be correct. Sitting atop the head of his father's likeness was the orange clad ninja. The sight before her though was not a pleasant one, however, as she could hear Naruto's continued sobs from earlier when he bolted out of the Godaime's office.

Taking care not to spook him, Sakura slowly walked up beside him and said, "I thought I might find you up here."

Naruto scrambled to wipe the tears from his eyes using the sleeve of his jacket, but it did little to change the fact that his eyes were still red and puffy. Trying his best to keep his emotions in check, Naruto looked up at Sakura and asked, "Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?"

Offering a gentle smile, Sakura took a seat beside Naruto. She went on to reply, "I've been looking for you, dummy. You really had me worried when you ran out of Shishou's office a little while ago, without even acknowledging my presence might I add."

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but I just couldn't bear to be in the same room with them any longer. Especially not when they've been lying to me this entire time." Naruto mumbled, "But I suppose that makes little difference now. I assume if you're here, then it means you must know the truth now too, including who my father is?"

"Yes. Itachi told me." Sakura answered.

"He knew too?" Naruto asked in disbelief, getting a small nod from Sakura.

Feeling his anger beginning to burn once more, Naruto shouted, "I don't believe this! Just how many others have lied to my face!?"

"Naruto, stop! It's not what you think." Sakura quickly responded in an effort to reassure her boyfriend.

Unfortunately, Sakura's efforts were in vain, as Naruto continued to lash out, "Then tell me Sakura-chan! Because right now, I don't really know who I can and cannot trust."

"You can trust me, you idiot!" Sakura countered with her fiery temper.

Naruto was about to protest further, but he held his tongue when Sakura gave him a stone-cold glare that she used only when she had her mind dead set on something.

"Not another word out of you until you promise to hear what I have to say." Sakura sternly warned, causing Naruto to gulp in fear.

The blonde nodded his head vigorously a few times. Naruto knew that this was no time to argue with her because whenever his girlfriend got angry, she could be just as scary as facing down a raging bull.

Sakura's serious demeanor began to soften. The pink-haired medic decided to take a more caring approach to the current situation. She looked at him with nothing but genuine sincerity in her eyes as she began to speak, "Now that we've set some ground rules, I just want to start by saying that what you're about to hear is the straight and honest truth."

Pausing momentarily to take a deep breath to relax her nerves, Sakura went on to say, "Itachi pushed Shishou and Master Jiraiya to tell you about your parents because he believes that you'll need more than just the strength of the Nine-Tails alone to stand a chance of defeating any opposition you might face from the Akatsuki; Madara in particular."

"I didn't quite understand what Itachi was referring to at first when he mentioned something about scrolls that your father might have left behind, but it all began to make sense when I talked with Master Jiraiya. He explained that your father had written down the steps to learn the jutsu that made him a renowned and feared shinobi throughout the elemental nations. Master Jiraiya and Itachi were both talking about…" Sakura didn't have a chance to finish her last sentence.

"The Flying Raijin." Naruto managed to get out despite being in a state of disbelief.

"Hai." "I know it may seem like you're being asked to carry a lot of weight on your shoulders, but that doesn't mean you have to do it alone. I'm here for you, and so is everyone else who loves and cares about you." Sakura finished, hoping her words would resonate with Naruto.

The blonde didn't immediately respond, opting to let everything Sakura said to soak into his brain before coming up with a response. Naruto went on to say, "You know, I always felt like I had this special connection to Lord Fourth. I can't explain why. He was the type of shinobi I aspired to be when I grew up. Powerful and well respected by everyone in the village. That's all I ever wanted was for the people of this village to acknowledge and accept me for who I am."

"But now, after suddenly learning that the man I idolized most of my childhood is actually my father, I keep asking myself why did he have to make his own son bear the burden of carrying the Nine-Tailed fox?"

Sakura didn't say a word, letting the sad expression on her face convey how distraught she currently was as she watched her lover express the pain he currently felt through the tears running down either cheek and a hurt tone embedded within the tone of his voice.

"Granny Tsunade and Pervy Sage said that I should be proud of what my dad did to protect the village. But how can I honestly condone it when my life ended up being one filled with nothing but hardship and loneliness?"

"That may have been the case when you were younger, but things are different now. As I just said a few minutes ago, you have friends and people who are almost like family at this point that care about you. Plus, no matter how many obstacles have stood in your way, you've overcome each and every one of them. It's those trials that have made you stronger, bringing out not only the best in you, but inspiring those around you as well." Sakura continued.

"By staying true to your ninja way and never going back on your word, you have proven to so many people that you are someone who they can count on when it seems like all hope may be lost. That's one of the biggest reasons why I love you so much. And I'm not saying that just because you're the Yondaime's son. I love you for who you are." Sakura said, emphasizing her point by tapping Naruto's chest right smack dab in the middle of where his heart lied.

"So please don't let the fact that your parents were two very prominent shinobi change your unshakable belief of being able to forge our own path. Because I know that we can overcome this obstacle too, as long as we do it together." Sakura finished, breathing a sigh of relief after concluding her pep talk.

All the while, as Naruto listened to his girlfriend as she offered moral support, he felt a familiar sense of warmth and comfort radiating off of her. It was the same feeling he had experienced while in Suna just after they rescued Gaara; one of genuine love and sincerity. Despite his repeated insistence that he needed some time alone to wrap his head around what had just happened to the Kazekage, Sakura refused to leave his side.

Even though the pinkette was not a jinchuriki like himself or Gaara, what Sakura did share in common with Naruto was the fact that they had experienced the loss of a teammate together. That strong bond they had forged was enough to make him feel comfortable opening up and sharing any thoughts or feelings running through his mind with her. And now that he found himself in another situation that had seemingly turned his world upside-down, Sakura was right there when he needed someone to lean on most. Naruto's emotional brick wall that he had built up to protect himself finally began to come tumbling down. Tears began to fall from his eyes in a constant, steady stream.

Sakura instinctively reached out and pulled Naruto close, wrapping her arms around the blonde as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. The pink-haired kunoichi began to gently rub Naruto's back to help relieve him of some of his emotional distress.

"It hurts so much, Sakura-chan." Naruto croaked.

"I know Naruto-Kun." Sakura consoled as she continued to gently rub Naruto's back. "I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through right now or how you might feel. But just know that I'm here for you no matter what. And I'm not going anywhere."

The two young ninjas stayed like this for a while. Sakura stroked the whisker marks on Naruto's cheek to help him relax, which made the blonde-haired jinchuriki purr.

When she felt like the blonde was relaxed enough, Sakura released her grip on Naruto and proceeded to ask, "Feeling better?"

"Hai, a little." Naruto replied, using the sleeve of his jacket to wipe any remaining tears in his eyes.

"Good. I'm glad." Sakura smiled as she began to change the subject. "Before I left Shishou's office, she wanted me to give this to you," Sakura said as she pulled the same wooden box from earlier out of the pouch on the back of her belt and handed it to Naruto.

Confused, Naruto looked at the pinkette and asked, "What is this?"

"It's a gift from your mom. Shishou says it contains some of the personal effects she left behind. You'll have to bite your finger and apply some blood to the seal to open it." Sakura explained.

Naruto did as Sakura instructed, biting the tip of his thumb and pressed it against the small seal.

Naruto carefully lifted the lid off of the box and placed it on the ground beside him as he began to examine the contents of what his mother left for him.

Inside was one of his father's kunai inscribed with the Hiraishin formula, an official-looking scroll with a key attached to it via a piece of ribbon, and a sealed envelope which had his name neatly written upon it.

Setting aside the other contents of the box for now, Naruto took the envelope and carefully began to open the back. As he slid the letter out and began to unfold it, a lone picture fell into his lap. Words couldn't even begin to describe the rush of emotions Naruto was suddenly feeling after turning the photo over.

The picture was of his mother and father, most likely taken at some point late in Kushina's pregnancy. Minato's head was pressed up against Kushina's stomach, the latter running her fingers through his father's golden locks. The one detail in particular tugging at Naruto's heart strings was the smile they each had on their face.

Naruto stared at the photo intently, a few tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. But these weren't so much tears of anger or sadness. These fresh droplets were sparked by a feeling of warmth and happiness, all of which stemming from the love his parent's displayed in this photo.

Slipping the photo back into the envelope to avoid misplacing it, Naruto turned his attention back to the letter that his mother had written for him.

_Dear Naruto,_

_If you are reading this, then your father and I have died trying to stop the Kyuubi from its rampage on the village. I am leaving this letter and some of our most cherished belongings in the care of Lord Third, with instructions that he is to give you the contents of this box once you either turn eighteen or become a Jonin. Hopefully he will not have had to reveal the truth prematurely unless the circumstances warrant it. _

_Before I continue any further, there's something very important that I need to tell you. The Kyuubi isn't attacking the village of its own free will, like many of the villagers may believe. A man wearing a white mask is the mastermind behind everything. And somehow, he knew of the one time when a female jinchuriki is most vulnerable, during childbirth. _

_Just in case you haven't put two and two together by now, I was once the Leaf's jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. The Shodaime's wife, Mito Uzumaki, came before me. I was brought to the village to be the next vessel as Lady Mito's health began to deteriorate. _

_Getting back on topic however, the masked man I spoke of before somehow managed to get past all of the security precautions that had been placed around the cave where I gave birth to you. He threatened to kill you, which prompted your father to evacuate you to safety while I was taken captive so our mystery man could extract the Nine-Tails and wreak havoc on the village. _

_Whoever this person is, he possesses a Sharingan in his right eye. With it, he's able to put the Nine-Tails under his control. _

_I know this must be a lot to take in Naruto, but I felt it best to impart you with whatever information I was able to gather. Your father will likely have to reseal the Nine-Tails, as it is impossible for me to take up the mantle once again given my low chakra levels at the time of writing this. I am hoping that Minato doesn't choose to seal the beast within you either. The life of a jinchuriki is one of loneliness, pain and hardship. That is a burden no parent wants to put on their own child, especially me._

_If he does end up going that route, there are ways that you can find happiness despite the burden we carry. Lady Mito once taught me a valuable lesson that I still hold near and dear to my heart to this very day. She said that a jinchuriki can find happiness by filling ourselves with love. That is why I have one request I want to make of you, Naruto._

_Should you find yourself to be the next jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails and begin to fall in love with a girl, please try to find one that can love you for everything you have to offer. The one thing I could want more than anything else in the world is for you to have a girl standing by your side that knows how to keep you in line when it's called for, but who can also give you the strength and support you need too._

_It pains both your father and I that we were unable to be there and raise you together as a family. But just know that no matter where your path may take you, your father and I will always love you. _

_Sincerely,_

_Kushina Uzumaki_

_PS: In the tower lies a book telling The Tales of a Gutsy Ninja. Read it and you shall find a flash of wisdom and charisma._

Naruto found it impossible to try and hold back his tears any longer. The most important takeaway of all though was the fact that his parent's did love him.

Sakura, who had been reading the letter along with Naruto, was trying to hold back some tears herself. It seemed as though she had inadvertently gotten Kushina's blessing to be the girl she wanted Naruto to one day settle down and potentially start a family with him.

'Settle down? Start a family? Where did that come from?' The pinkette thought.

Sakura couldn't believe she was letting her mind get this far ahead of her, especially when she'd only been dating Naruto for a few weeks now.

The pinkette took a deep breath and put those thoughts on the back burner for now, focusing her attention on helping Naruto get through this difficult time.

Sakura noticed that the blonde in question had since put the letter from Kushina away and was now holding the picture of his parents again.

"Your mom was beautiful." Sakura commented in an effort to lighten the mood a bit.

"Yeah. I wish I could have met her." Naruto said.

"I'm sure she'd be proud of the man you've become. Plus on the bright side, you also fulfilled her request." Sakura pointed out cheerfully.

"Yeah, lucky me." Naruto sarcastically replied.

"Hey!" Sakura pouted, playfully elbowing him in the stomach. "You must be feeling better if you're cracking jokes."

"I wouldn't say that I'm at a hundred percent yet, but I am feeling a little bit better than I was earlier. Reading that letter from my mom helped to clear up some of the doubts I had about her and my father. But the one who really deserves the credit for lifting my spirits is you, Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

Sakura's heart fluttered from Naruto's sweet words, making a hughe of pink appear on either cheek.

"Baka." Sakura whispered softly, turning away to hide her embarrassment.

"I'm being serious y'know. Ever since I got back from that training trip with Pervy Sage, you've been so good to me. I was just thinking about this earlier, but I honestly don't know what I did to deserve such a loving and supportive girlfriend. Whenever I've needed someone to lean on, you've been right beside me. First when we rescued Gaara, and now after learning the truth about my parents. Words can't even begin to convey how grateful I am. Thank you, Sakura-chan."

"You always did have a way with words. Even if you are an idiot." Sakura kidded, making Naruto pout.

"But you're my idiot." Sakura smiled as she leaned in and brushed her lips against Naruto's.

As the two separated, Sakura rationalized in her mind that with her efforts to calm Naruto down proving to be a success, it was time to bring up the real reason she'd been tasked with tracking him down.

"Now I know this isn't how either of us intended to spend our time off, learning that you're the son of the Yondaime and all, but I think it's important that we really need to stay focused and take what Itachi said to heart." Sakura reminded.

"I guess you're right." Naruto reluctantly agreed.

"Good! Now up on your feet mister." Sakura ordered.

"Why?"

"We're going to look for your parents house. Kakashi-sensei knows where it is, so he asked that you and I meet up with him once I managed to track you down. Now let's go!" Sakura insisted once more.

"Fine." Naruto sighed in defeat, finally standing up on his own two feet.

Satisfied with his answer, Sakura reached for the nearest free hand and intertwined her fingers. The two then set off for the Dango Shop to meet with Kakashi, descending the long flight of stairs that led back down to the heart of the village.

All the while, a lone figure watched from the shadows as the young couple began to fade from view. The individual in question was following the instructions left by Danzo.

Flashback:

"Do you understand what your mission is?" The old Warhawk asked the Root member kneeling before his lone visible eye.

"Yes. I am to keep the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, within my sight at all times when he is in the village." The Root agent repeated word-for-word. "But what is to become of Itachi Uchiha sir?"

"You needn't concern yourself with him. I have someone else in mind to eliminate that traitor." Danzo cryptically replied as he began to walk off, leaving the Root member with more questions than answers.

Flashback End:

Still baffled by the Old Warhawk's vague response, the Root member took their master's advice and returned to the task at hand, setting off to shadow the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki.

XXXX

"Sakura-chan, why are we meeting Kakashi-sensei in front of the Dango Shop?" Naruto asked his girlfriend, starting to grow impatient as they waited for their sensei to show up.

The young ninjas had been waiting for almost an hour at a nearby bookstand just across the way from the Dango Shop.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders a bit and said, "I haven't the faintest idea Naruto-kun. You and I both know that Kakashi-sensei isn't exactly very forthcoming with what he does in his free time. He was rather vague earlier when he mentioned in Shishou's office that he somehow seems to know where your parents lived."

"Tch." Naruto scoffed. "Kami knows how many other skeletons that Kakashi-sensei has hidden in his closet. I wouldn't put it past him at this point if he suddenly decided to drop another bombshell and say something like one of my parents was his Jonin sensei when he was a Genin."

When Sakura heard Naruto mention the words 'Jonin sensei', a flood of memories came rushing back to her. The pinkette remembered there being one particular moment when Kakashi didn't beat around the bush and outright referred to Naruto's dad as Minato-sensei.

"That's it!" Sakura blurted out randomly, causing Naruto to look at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

"It all makes sense! I figured out how Kakashi-sensei knew your father." Sakura exclaimed once more, but it did little to change the confused look that Naruto was giving her.

"Earlier, Kakashi-sensei referred to your father as Minato-sensei at one point. That means your dad must've been assigned as the Jonin-sensei to whichever team Kakashi-sensei was on."

"Hm." Naruto hummed as he rubbed his chin. "I guess I was right when I said that Granny Tsunade and Pervy Sage weren't the only ones with something to hide. Kakashi-sensei _definitely _has some explaining to do now as well."

Just as she was about to come up with a response, Sakura noticed something unusual out of the corner of her eye. Seated at one of the tables towards the back of the Dango Stand was their sensei with another individual she couldn't quite make out.

"Um, Naruto…I think you're going to get a chance to ask him about it sooner than later. Because I'm pretty sure I figured out why he wanted us to meet him here." Sakura said, pointing her finger in the direction of the table where their sensei was currently seated at.

Naruto turned his head ever so slightly to look at the spot that Sakura was trying to point out. Squinting a bit with the other eye closed, Naruto was easily able to distinguish one of the occupants seated at the back table as their sensei. The identity of the other individual, however, came as a complete surprise to the blonde. Sitting across from Kakashi was none other than the Godaime's assistant, Shizune.

The hyperactive blonde took a moment to watch their body language. Something about the way Kakashi and Shizune were interacting, the latter in particular, came off as quite unusual to him. Kakashi had his face buried in his little Icha Icha book for the upteenth time or so it seemed, whereas it looked as though Shizune was trying to play footsie with the masked pervert in an effort to get his attention. Shizune's behavior was almost enough to make Naruto wonder if the two were seeing each secretly. Because if they were, the raven-haired woman was doing a lousy job of trying to hide it.

Naruto started to snicker a bit from the thought of Kakashi and Shizune being an item. Sakura on the other hand was starting to grow a bit impatient with her idiot boyfriend. The suspense was killing her.

"What's so funny baka?" Sakura asked.

Struggling to hold back his laughter, Naruto finally managed to get out, "The other person Kakashi-sensei is hanging around with is Shizune. And judging by the way she was acting just a minute ago, I think the two are on a date."

"Are you kidding?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"Nope! It's definitely Shizune. She's got Tonton with her." Naruto quickly replied after catching a glimpse of the little pet pig that Shizune usually carried around in her arms.

"Hmph!" Sakura huffed in annoyance. "I think Kakashi-sensei has kept us waiting long enough. What do you say we go have a word with that pervert?"

Naruto gave his girlfriend a small nod, following her as she made a straight b line for the table in the back.

"Ahem!" Sakura cleared her throat as loud as she could, without a care in the world about how much attention she was attracting from the other occupants of the Dango Stand. "I hope I'm not intruding upon an intimate moment between you two!?"

The moment Shizune looked up and saw Sakura standing there, the raven-haired kunoichi almost choked on a piece of dango that she had just bitten into.

"Sakura!? What are you doing here!?" Shizune panicked.

"I could ask the same of you Shizune. Because according to Naruto, he said it seemed an awful lot like you guys were on a date." The pinkette implied.

"No. It's nothing like that. I…" Shizune scrambled to come up with an excuse, but she was cut off by Sakura before she had a chance to finish.

"Right… " Sakura skeptically retorted, not believing it for a second. "Well to answer your question Shizune, Kakashi-sensei asked me to meet him here once I was done looking for this big doofus." The pinkette explained, motioning toward Naruto.

Shizune's eyes moved over to Kakashi for confirmation.

"It's true. Naruto just found out who his parents were for the first time and needless to say, things got pretty heated earlier in the Godaime's office when Naruto confronted Tsunade and Jiraiya. So after he left, I thought it would be best to send Sakura to find him and help him try to come to terms with all this." The cyclops explained.

"I see." Shizune awkwardly coughed into her hand as she finally regained her composure. "Well whatever you did Sakura seems to have worked."

"Indeed." The Copycat Ninja said, turning his attention to the blonde-haired jinchuriki. "How are you holding up Naruto?"

"Hey Kakashi-sensei. I'm not a hundred percent yet, but Sakura-chan has been helping me process and wrap my head around things." Naruto half-heartedly greeted.

"I know this has been a lot for you to take in Naruto, but the truth was bound to come out sooner or later. The decision was made to tell you earlier than what your mother had wanted because of the threat the Akatsuki poses. With that being said, are you ready to visit your parents old residence? There are some things we need to discuss about your training moving forward." Kakashi began before casting his glance upon the pinkette seated beside Naruto. "That goes for you as well Sakura."

Sakura gave Kakashi a puzzled look. "What do you mean sensei?"

"Well after you left to go find Naruto, I got to talking with Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya about each of your respective skill sets. While the focus for Naruto's training has been narrowed down to two particular areas of concern, your's remains a bit more undecided. Aside from continuing to store chakra to unlock the Hundred Healings Jutsu, Lady Tsunade wasn't sure how else we could expand your arsenal of jutsu. That's when a thought hit me." Kakashi began to explain.

The pinkette perked her head up a bit out of curiosity to find out what her sensei had in mind.

Kakashi took his student's reaction as a sign that he should continue, "I remember when I read your file for the first time after Lord Third put together the teams from your graduating class at the academy, it was noted that you had the potential to develop strong skills with Genjutsu. Now I know we only worked on some basics and fundamentals of Genjutsu, but you showed great potential when you were able to identify and counter the enemy Genjutsu used during the Sand-Sound Invasion."

"Much as I appreciate the flattery Kakashi-sensei, could you please just get to the point? I don't really need a recap of past events." Sakura said.

"Right." Kakashi sighed rather audibly before continuing on, "The point I'm trying to make Sakura is that now would be the ideal time to learn Genjutsu. With Itachi joining us for our upcoming mission to Kumogakure, perhaps he might be able to help you with your training. He is a far more experienced Genjutsu user than I could ever hope to be."

Sakura took a moment to let everything sink while she mulled over Kakashi's suggestion. "Let's do it!" Sakura exclaimed confidently.

"Good." Kakashi smiled, "How about you Naruto? Do you have any questions for me?"

"Just one sensei. While Sakura-chan and I were waiting for you over at the bookstand, the two of us were trying to figure out how you just so happened to know where my parents lived. She even mentioned at one point that you had called my dad _Minato-sensei_. My girlfriend seems to think that you were once one of my dad's students. Is that true?"

"I had a feeling that you'd ask me about this one day." Kakashi sighed while trying to come up with just the right response to Naruto's questions. He finally replied, "Yes. Your father was my sensei when I was a Genin."

The silver-haired jonin watched as Naruto's eyes began to bulge a bit.

Just as the hyperactive jinchuriki's lips began to move, Kakashi silenced him by saying, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions Naruto. And I'd be happy to answer some of them, but could we refrain from discussing any more of this until we reach your parent's house?"

"Sure." Naruto replied.

Meanwhile, poor Shizune had been sitting there as her boyfriend conversed with his students, feeling like a third wheel. In a veiled effort to excuse herself, the raven-haired woman started to get up and said, "I should probably get going too. Lady Tsunade is no doubt expecting me back at the office."

"I have a better idea, Shizune. Why don't you come with us to Minato and Kushina's old place?" Kakashi suggested.

"Oh no. This is a personal matter that doesn't concern me. I've already imposed enough as it is." Shizune said.

"Nonsense. I'm sure Naruto and Sakura wouldn't mind. Plus I'd really like you to be there when I talk about Minato-sensei and Rin." Kakashi countered with genuine sincerity, giving the brunette one of his infamous eye-smiles to show that he really wanted her to be there beside him.

Shizune was taken aback. This gentle and more vulnerable side was something she had very seldom seen Kakashi display since the two started dating, especially when they were out in public together.

Shizune and Kakashi grew closer, much as Naruto and Sakura had, in the aftermath of Sasuke's death. The failure Kakashi felt as a sensei after he was unable to sway Sasuke from his path of darkness reopened some of the painful and old wounds that he had never really recovered from after the deaths of his teammates and sensei all those years ago. And so, when the silver-haired Jonin came to the hospital one day seeking out a friend to talk to about his emotional pain and guilt, Shizune was the one he could find solace and understanding with.

Letting out a reluctant sigh, Shizune finally conceded and said, "Fine. But only if it's alright with Naruto and Sakura."

Shizune giggled as she watched Kakashi's face light up like a little kid on Christmas morning.

"Is that okay with you guys?" Kakashi asked.

"Sure." Naruto said.

"I don't see why not." Sakura added. "Besides, if you're anything like Naruto, then you probably need a good woman by your side to keep you in line too."

And with that, the two couples left in search to find the house that once belonged to Naruto's parents.

(A little while later…)

Kakashi, hand-in-hand with Shizune by his side, led Naruto and Sakura to a more secluded part of the village that was sparsely populated in comparison to the rest of Konoha. Unlike the bustling streets at the heart of the village, there weren't many shops or businesses to be found here; save for a small neighborhood market and pharmacy. This part of Konoha was mainly composed of several neatly spread-out houses.

When Naruto asked Kakashi why his parents had chosen to live this far away from the center of the village, the silver-haired Jonin simply chose to remind Naruto of what Jiraiya and Tsunade had said earlier about his father's enemies. Kakashi went on further to explain that because it wasn't exactly widely known to the general public that his parents were together, the right precautions had to be taken to keep his mother safe.

They eventually came to a stop in front of a modest two story house with a tower.

"This place belonged to my parents?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

The Copy ninja nodded. "Yes. This was the place that your parents intended to raise you in. Nobody has set foot inside for years, except for when Lord Third had it cleaned from top to bottom one last time before covering up any furniture and sealing the premise off until the time came for you to inherit your parent's estate. Don't be too surprised if it's caked in a thick layer of dust and smells a bit musty inside."

"Do you still have that key we found amongst your mother's belongings, Naruto-kun?" Sakura inquired.

"Hai." Naruto replied, rummaging around in his coat pocket until he came across the key.

The hyperactive blonde gently inserted the key into the keyhole and turned the knob until he heard an audible click sound. Naruto slowly pushed the door inward and stood there in awe as he saw what the interior looked like.

As soon as you walked through the entrance way, there was a small shoe rack to store various footwear in. The living room was nestled in the bottom left-hand corner, decorated with a few sofas, a simple coffee table and a few bookshelves that had various photo albums placed on top. Just off the living room was the dining room, which had an oak table and four green-colored fabric chairs. An open kitchen could be found right next to the dining room and a set of stairs in the upper right-hand corner led to what Naruto assumed to be the top floor of the house.

"Before we even think of sitting down to continue our discussion from the Dango Shop, it might be a good idea if we open some windows and take the sheets off of the couches and coffee table." Kakashi nonchalantly suggested.

"Agreed." Shizune said in conjunction. "I am definitely catching a slight whiff of that musty smell you were talking about."

Naruto and Sakura merely nodded in agreement, setting about to spruce the place up a bit before finally taking a seat on one of the vacant sofas, with Kakashi and Shizune doing the same across from them.

"So, what do you think of the place so far?" Kakashi asked his blonde-haired student.

"To be honest with you sensei, I'm still having a hard time believing that all of this belonged to my parents, let alone the fact that my father was the Fourth Hokage." Naruto answered back.

"While we're on the topic of your parents, Naruto, I just want to say how sorry I am for keeping the truth from you. I wish that I had been present in your life as a role model. But after everything that happened with the loss of both of my teammates and then your father, I was in a dark place and didn't honestly know if it was something I could pull myself out of. I hope you can forgive me." Kakashi apologised.

Knowing that this wasn't an easy thing for her boyfriend to talk about, Shizune gave Kakashi's hand a gentle squeeze as her way of showing that she was there for him.

"It's alright. After I read the letter my mom left me and saw the photo she included, I'm beginning to realize what Granny Tsunade and Pervy Sage said was true. My parents really did love me, so much to the point that they were willing to give their lives to save me. I think the best way I can honor their memory is by working with the Nine-Tails to reach our full potential as a two-man team and protect this village from Madara just as my father wanted me to do." Naruto said.

"You are the only one capable of surpassing your father Naruto. I know that you'll master the Flying Raijin just as he once did. And no matter what happens, I'll be there to help you every step of the way just as Sakura has pledged to do." Kakashi said while sporting an eye-smile.

"Flying Raijin aside though, the reason I wanted to bring you here Naruto is so you could see with your own two eyes just how much love and warmth used to radiate throughout this house when your parents were alive. They were two of the most understanding and compassionate people that I had ever met. It is because of them that I was able to start moving on after my teammates, Obito and Rin, died during the Third Great Ninja War. But above all, Naruto, I too know what it's like to grow up without parents."" Kakashi elaborated.

"Really?" Naruto asked with shock evident in his tone.

"Yes. I never really knew my mother. My father on the other hand is a far more complicated tale. You two remember hearing Lady Chiyo mention the name White Fang of the Leaf right?" Kakashi questioned his students, getting a small nod from both of them.

"Well, his real name was Sakumo Hatake. My father was once revered as one of the Hidden Leaf's strongest Shinobi. After being sent on a mission of great importance to this village, however, my father was forced to make a difficult choice. When his teammates were in danger, he chose to abandon the mission and save their lives instead. The failure of that very same mission caused him to become a disgraced shinobi in the eyes of this village, putting him into such a dark place that he couldn't come out of it. He eventually committed suicide." Kakashi finished, trying to contain any tears that might attempt to escape his eyes.

Naruto was tempted to ask Kakashi about what had happened to his teammates, Obito and Rin, but decided against it after seeing pain on his sensei's face after he talked about his father. In an effort to strike a more light-hearted tone, Naruto was eager to find anything he could about his mother that Kakashi might be willing to share. He proceeded to ask, "Hey, sensei? Could you tell me anything else about my mom? She sounded like such an amazing and loving woman."

"Indeed she was. But make no mistake, Naruto. Your mother was a real hothead if her temper got the better of her. I sometimes still find myself wondering just how your father was able to keep her grounded whenever she was about to fly off the handle." Kakashi laughed, recalling how Kushina and Obito would frequently butt heads with one another.

"Lord Jiraiya mentioned something of the sort earlier, stating that my own short-temper reminded him of Naruto's mom. Is that true?" The pink-haired medic inquired.

"I think that would be a very fair assessment. Naruto clearly gets his taste in women from his father." Kakashi observed, making both teens blush a bit.

"Well, as much as I would like to continue reminiscing with you guys, I really do need to be going. I've kept Lady Tsunade waiting long enough and I have a few errands to run before heading back to assist her at the office. Thanks for allowing me to tag along with you guys, Naruto and Sakura." Shizune said as she started to get up from the sofa.

"I probably should get going as well. There's a lot of planning to be done before we leave for Lightning Country. May I walk you back to the Hokage's office, Shizune?" Kakashi offered.

"Oh, you're such a gentleman, Kakashi." Shizune joked. "Just for that, I may make one of those perverted fantasies you've been reading about in Master Jiraiya's stupid little book become a reality." She whispered sensually in Kakashi's ear.

The silver-haired Jonin's jaw almost dropped upon hearing Shizune say that. Kakashi scrambled to come up with an excuse to hide his embarrassment as he turned to face his students, "I'll leave you two alone to give you some time to explore and see if you can find out whether Minato-sensei left any scrolls behind detailing how he learned the Flying Raijin. Check back in with me tomorrow morning at our usual meeting spot, say around ten?"

"Sounds good. We'll see you then." Sakura replied, before she grabbed ahold of Naruto's hand. "Come on, baka. Let's go see what the upstairs portion of the house looks like."

"Ow!" Naruto yelped. "Must you always drag me around like some sort of lost puppy, Sakura-chan?"

"Oh, quit complaining! Besides, weren't you the one who was so eager to find out more about your parents, particularly your mother?" The pinkette asked while already starting to lead Naruto upstairs, making his reply almost inaudible to Kakashi and Shizune.

"Those two are really something else, aren't they?" Shizune observed.

"Yes. I'm sure Minato-sensei and his wife would approve." Kakashi added.

Shizune leaned over and gave Kakashi a quick peck on the lips. "Let's get going, you pervert. I don't want _our _special night to be ruined by Lady Tsunade keeping me held up at the office, assisting her with all that damn paperwork."

"Right. After you, my dear Shizune-chan." Kakashi teased, earning him a playful elbow to the stomach from his girlfriend.

And with that, the couple finally took their leave. They were both left wondering, however, what Naruto and Sakura were doing in the upper-level of the Uzumaki/Namikaze residence.

(With Naruto and Sakura)

Naruto was currently exploring one of the rooms on the second floor of his parent's house. He had already done a brief walkthrough of his parent's master bedroom, the spare bedroom and the bathroom. There was also a small library and study, which he assumed must have been his mother's due to the countless books on sealing jutsu that lined the shelves. Sakura had stayed behind in the library after a few unusual medical books she had never seen before in the Godaime's already vast collection caught her eye. The final room that Naruto had seemingly wandered into was what ultimately struck an emotional chord on his heart strings.

This particular room was what he assumed to be the nursery his parents had intended to be for him. The walls were painted with a bright color scheme to evoke the feelings of a tropical paradise. Several frogs of all different sizes could be seen splashed across what was once a blank canvas.

As for furnishings, there was a simple oak-stained crib, diaper changing table, a comfy rocking chair, some learning toys, a large stuffed plush resembling Gamabunta, and finally a small bureau with a few picture frames on top.

Naruto walked over to the bureau and examined the pictures. The first was what he surmised to be his parents' wedding day. In it was his mother and father standing opposite one another, with Tsunade and Jiraiya behind them respectively. The other picture frame was a little bit different, as it was designed to hold three pictures. This one said Mommy, Daddy and Godfather. Pictures of Kushina, Minato and Jiraiya were placed just beneath the beautifully inscribed gold lettering.

Just looking at these photos was enough to start making Naruto tear up a bit. He could clearly see that his godfather wasn't lying when he said that both himself and Tsunade had greatly cared about his parents.

Deciding it was time to get back to the task at hand, Naruto exited the room and carefully closed the door behind him, going back downstairs to see if he could figure out how he could get into the strange tower that was proving to be otherwise inaccessible.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Naruto took a moment to observe his surroundings, looking for the slightest thing that he may have previously overlooked or seemed out of place. That's when he noticed what appeared to be a closet door right to the staircase. During his days studying the previous Hokage in the academy, the one thing Naruto had seen repeatedly was how meticulous his father was.

Naruto mulled it over briefly in his mind before he concluded that he didn't have much to lose at this point. He threw caution to the wind and opened the door, brushing aside the coats that hung in his way.

The blonde-haired jinchuriki began to feel around for a hidden mechanism, something he hoped would reveal a secret passage that led to the top of the mysterious tower. His efforts were rewarded when his fingers ran across a slight depression in the wall. Naruto pushed the small wooden panel in, causing the door to make a loud creaking sound as the mechanisms operating it moved inward, allowing him to slip by and finally ascend the stairs.

As he neared the top and the interior of the room became visible, Naruto had to double check just to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Now the room's furnishings weren't anything special, rather minimalistic in design. It consisted of a mahogany desk and chair set along with a two-door wardrobe right in back next to the large picture window that overlooked the surrounding area.

What served as the dead giveaway though to Naruto that he had found his father's study were the numerous bookshelves stuffed to the brim with countless scrolls and books. The blonde knew his father was skilled with Fuinjutsu, but he had never anticipated to find this much reading material.

'How in the world does Pervy Sage expect me to learn the Flying Raijin when he hasn't even taught me so much as a few basic fundamentals of Fuinjutsu?' Naruto thought to himself.

"Stupid old pervert." Naruto muttered under his breath, as he walked over to one of the bookcases to see if he could find any reading materials that might give him a crash course in the basics of Fuinjutsu.

Carefully sifting through the books on one shelf, one particular title caught Naruto's eye. He pulled the book out and broke out into a fit of laughter. It simply read; 'Fuinjutsu for Dummies' by Kushina Uzumaki.

After he managed to contain his brief outburst, Naruto flipped the cover open and was a bit surprised when he found a personal made out to his father from his mom.

_To my dearest Minato,_

_The elders may consider you to be a prodigy in the making, but to me, you'll always be the same oblivious idiot that I fell in love with. I hope this beginners' guide will help you go on to do great things. _

_With all my love,_

_Kushina_

Naruto smiled to himself after reading the personal dedication his mother had written. He flipped through the next few pages until he reached the prologue which detailed the intentions that Kushina had set out to accomplish when she wrote this book.

Just as soon as Naruto walked back over to his father's vacant desk and chair to start diving into the book further, he heard Sakura call out, "Naruto-kun? Where are you?"

"I'm up here Sakura-chan." Naruto shouted in response.

"So this is your father's study? Any luck finding the Flying Raijin scrolls?"

Naruto shook his head a few times. "Not yet. I was so overwhelmed by all the books and scrolls my father had stored up here, that my curiosity got the better of me. After taking a little time to poke around, I found a book that my mom wrote on the basics of Fuinjutsu." The blonde explained, showing Sakura the cover.

"Fuinjutsu for Dummies, huh? I think that's a good starting point for a blockhead like you." Sakura teased.

"That's mean, Sakura-chan." Naruto pouted.

"I'm just messing with you." Sakura ruffled Naruto's hair a bit. "But seriously. It's a good way for you to start learning some of the basics. Speaking of which…" Sakura's voice trailed off as she reached around to find something in her pouch.

"Master Jiraiya asked that I give this to you. It's supposed to contain some beginners' exercises for Fuinjutsu." The pink-haired medic explained, handing the scroll to Naruto.

"I'll take a look at it later." Naruto said, placing the scroll to the side for now.

After he noticed Sakura tilt her head slightly out of confusion, he went on to explain, "Before I even consider attempting any of those exercises Pervy Sage gave me, I want to make sure that I've at least had a chance to finish my mom's book first. That way I can at least have some idea of how the basics work."

The pinkette smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Well in the meantime, what do you say we take a look to see if your father left any scrolls behind on his technique for the Flying Raijin?" Sakura suggested.

"Sure. But one thing you need to keep in mind Sakura-chan is that my father wouldn't just leave his most prized scrolls out in the open for anyone to find. Wherever he hid them, he made sure it was a place that only someone with a sharp eye would think to look."

Upon hearing that last sentence leave Naruto's mouth, Sakura took a moment to think about where Minato might have hidden his most important scrolls. The more she mulled it over in her mind, the more Sakura kept coming back to that strange note Naruto's mother had written at the tail-end of her letter to him. It was almost as if Kushina was giving them a breadcrumb to follow.

"Hey, Naruto. You remember that weird note your mom left at the end of her letter right?" Sakura inquired.

"Yeah, what of it?" Naruto replied.

"Well, I was thinking about what you just said when you pointed out that your father was rather meticulous. And if we take that bit of information and combine it with the hint your mom left in the form of that weird riddle, where she was basically implying that we might find the answer we're looking for in a tower…" Sakura's voice trailed off momentarily once more while she tried to put the puzzle together in her mind.

"…The scrolls my father left behind must be in this very room." Naruto finished his girlfriend's initial assessment.

"Exactly!" Sakura shouted in agreement. "But now the question becomes what exactly was your mom alluding to when she said read The Tales of a Gutsy Ninja and a flash of wisdom you shall find?"

"Where have I heard that name before?" Naruto thought aloud, when suddenly it dawned on him. "Of course. Now I remember!"

"The Tales of a Gutsy Ninja was the first book Pervy Sage wrote before switching to his stupid smut novels." Naruto explained.

"Okay…" Sakura said, confused by where this was going.

"My dad was once Pervy Sage's student in the past as well. That means he should have a copy of that very same book somewhere in this room." Naruto reasoned.

"Oh, I see!" Sakura finally understood. "So we should probably start scouring through some of these bookcases to see if we can find it.

Naruto gave the pinkette a nod and the two young ninjas began to search for the needle in a haystack.

This continued for about half an hour until Naruto finally spoke up and said, "Sakura-chan, I found it!"

Sakura quickly dropped what she was doing and ran over to join Naruto.

"Ready?" Naruto asked, feeling a bit nervous about what they might find.

"Do it." Sakura replied.

Naruto tried to pull the book from the shelf, but it didn't want to budge. Try as he may to get it out, the hyperactive blonde only managed to pull it out ever so slightly. That's when both he and Sakura heard a strange click sound emanate from the nearby wall.

Sakura moved to examine the source of the sound and was surprised to find a secret compartment with another wooden box similar to the one Kushina had left for Naruto. The pinkette took the box in hand and gave it to Naruto.

Going back over to his father's desk, Naruto plopped down in the chair with Sakura by his side. He lifted the cover off of the box and lone behold found a set of three different scrolls. Naruto unrolled the first one and examined some of its contents. He turned to Sakura finally and smiled. "These are the ones."

"What would you do without me?" Sakura laughed.

"So what do you want to do now?"

As if on cue, Naruto's stomach started to growl. The hyperactive blonde looked at his girlfriend and rubbed the back of his head while sporting a stupid grin.

Sakura shook her head slightly at his antics before going on to say, "Well I guess I just got my answer. Do you wanna go out and grab a bite to eat?"

"Sure. Just give me a minute to wrap things up. I'll meet you downstairs as soon as I'm done." Naruto replied.

Sakura gave Naruto a gentle smile and descended the spiral staircase that led to the entryway. While she waited for her boyfriend, Sakura decided to kill some time by going over to the living room and look at one of the photo albums Naruto's parents had left behind.

The pinkette settled down and made herself comfortable on one of the vacant couches. Sakura took a photo album in hand and slowly flipped the cover open. As she flipped through each page, Sakura was treated to several different photos that offered a glimpse into what Minato and Kushina's life was like. There was one of them taken, likely on the day of graduation from the academy. Kushina had her arms wrapped around Minato's torso, both adorning the Hidden Leaf headband around their forehead. Another photo showed the two standing side-by-side, with Minato donning his Hokage hat and robe, while Kushina wore her Jonin attire. Sakura finally came to an abrupt stop when her eyes caught a glimpse of a picture with three women standing beside one another.

Upon closer inspection, Sakura was able to easily recognize Naruto's mother just from the trademark red hair. The identity of the woman standing on Kushina's immediate left was a complete mystery to her. But the real reason Sakura stopped on this photo in particular was because her very own mother, Mebuki, flanked Kushina on the right. The pinkette honestly had no idea what to make of this shocking development.

Just then, she heard Naruto's footsteps emanating from the stairs that led up to his father's study.

"Naruto, come here." Sakura called.

The blonde in question closed the closet door and quickly turned to look over his shoulder, going on to ask, "What's up Sakura-chan?"

Once Naruto had joined her in the living room, Sakura set the photo album back down on the coffee table. She then placed a finger over the picture of her mother with Kushina and the other woman, tapping it a few times. "Alright, so while I was waiting for you to finish taking care of whatever you needed to do upstairs, I sat down and started going through this old photo album that your parents left behind. And as I was going through the various pictures, I noticed something peculiar. I want you to take a look at it and tell me what you see." The pink-haired kunoichi instructed.

Naruto did as he was told and examined the photo himself. He too was able to distinguish his mother right away, but he personally had no idea who the others were standing beside her. The hyperactive blonde turned his head and looked at Sakura with a somewhat confused expression on his face.

"I can clearly see that my mom is the one standing in the middle." Naruto observed. "But I have no idea who the other two women are. Do you know either of them, Sakura-chan?"

"Hai. The woman standing next to your mother is Mebuki Haruno."

"Mebuki Haruno?" Naruto asked, not yet fully understanding where Sakura was going with this.

"Look again and tell me if you see anything familiar." Sakura insisted.

Naruto looked at the photo once more, paying particularly close attention to the smallest of detail that might give him a clue as to how Sakura and this Mebuki woman were connected. It wasn't until he saw a pair of familiar emerald eyes that he finally connected the dots.

"Mebuki Haruno is your mother, isn't she?" Naruto asked.

Nodding slowly, Sakura went on to say, "Hai. Like you, I don't know who the other woman in the picture is either. But if one thing is clear to me, it's the fact that our moms must have known each other."

"Now with that being said, I think I have a better idea instead of going out to eat tonight. Why don't you take up my mom's offer and join us for dinner?" Sakura suggested, "If my hunch does prove to be true, then maybe my mom could tell us more about what your parents were like."

Despite how nervous he really was at the thought of meeting Sakura's parents so early into his relationship with the pinkette, Naruto didn't want to disappoint her by turning down the invitation. He put on a brave face and gave her an appreciative smile, "If you think they'd be okay with it, then sure."

Excited was hardly the word to describe the rush of emotions Sakura felt. She grabbed Naruto's hand and entwined their fingers. Next stop, the Haruno residence.

XXXX

As Naruto and Sakura got closer to her house, the pinkette began to point out various things that set the Haruno residence apart from other traditional homes in the Hidden Leaf. Chief among those was the fact that her father ran a small shop.

"The bottom part of our house is actually my dad's shop. He used to be a shinobi years ago, just like my mom, but he was forced to give it up due to health reasons." Sakura finished her brief explanation just in time as she and Naruto finally came to a stop in front of her house.

"And here we are!" Sakura proudly presented almost as if she was showing off a trophy. "My parents and I live upstairs. It's this way."

Naruto followed his girlfriend up the set of stairs and waited for her to open the door. Closing it behind him, Naruto took his sandals off and placed them next to Sakura's open-toed boots.

"Mom, I'm home!" Sakura called.

A woman with blonde hair and a white qipao top that had three large red circles was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen. Upon hearing her daughter's voice, Mebuki set the wooden spoon that she'd been using to stir whatever she was cooking down on the counter beside her. The Haruno matriarch turned around and smiled. "Welcome back dear. And I see you brought company!"

Mebuki came out of the kitchen and walked over, extending her hand to shake with her guest. "It's nice to finally meet you Naruto." She greeted the hyperactive jinchuriki warmly.

Reciprocating the gesture, Naruto shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well Mrs. Haruno." Naruto greeted in response.

"Please, call me Mebuki. Mrs. Haruno makes me feel old." Mebuki insisted.

"Oh, uh… thank you, Mebuki." Naruto said, still a bit jittery.

"There's no need to be shy Naruto. I promise I won't bite. You'll have to excuse my husband though. He can be a bit eccentric sometimes." Mebuki said before changing the subject. "Anyway, how did things go with Lady Tsunade?"

"It's been a pretty eventful day to say the least." Naruto replied nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"That would be putting it mildly." Sakura huffed in annoyance.

"That bad huh?" Mebuki asked while arching an eyebrow.

"Let's just say that we had a few major bombshells dropped on us today. And I'm still not particularly happy with Shishou and Lord Jiraiya for their part in keeping the truth of my boyfriend's parents a secret from him for all these years." Sakura elaborated further.

"So Jiraiya finally caved and told you the truth, eh? It's about damn time if you ask me." Mebuki grinned.

"Yeah, about that…Part of the reason I asked Naruto to join us for dinner is because we just came from visiting his parent's old residence. While we were there, I found a picture in an old photo album that had you standing beside Naruto's mom and another woman with long black hair." Sakura said, causing Mebuki's eyes to widen.

Judging by the surprised look on her mother's face, Sakura surmised that Mebuki knew exactly which photo she was referring to.

Mebuki took a deep breath and exhaled rather loudly. The Haruno matriarch knew that her daughter might one day find out about her past and have questions. But Mebuki had not anticipated it to take place in this fashion. "The other woman you saw in the photo is Mikoto Uchiha, Itachi and Sasuke's mother. We were all very close growing up, but my friendship with Mikoto paled in comparison to Kushina. I wouldn't have called her my best friend if I didn't have a damn good reason."

"Really? Could you tell me more about her?" Naruto eagerly inquired.

"I'd love to Naruto, but we'll have to save it for a little bit later. I need to finish preparing dinner. In the meantime though, why don't you two head into the living room and make yourselves comfortable? Kizashi should be home soon." Mebuki said.

After Naruto had wandered into the living room, Mebuki pulled Sakura to the side for a moment and whispered, "Be sure to keep an eye on your father. Otherwise, he'll probably drive Naruto crazy with his terrible jokes."

"I know mom. That's why I was thinking about taking Naruto up to my room instead." Sakura whispered in response.

"Good idea. I'll give you a holler to let you two know when dinner's almost ready." Mebuki said, going back into the kitchen to finish preparing dinner, while Sakura went to join Naruto in the living room.

"Everything okay Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I'm fine Naruto-kun. My mom was just reminding me of a few chores I have to do later." Sakura covered, "Why don't we go upstairs so I can show you my room?"

"Sure." Naruto chirped happily.

Despite his cheerful demeanor, Naruto wasn't exactly sure what he could expect to find as he followed Sakura upstairs to her bedroom. The blonde once thought when he was still a bit younger and more immature that his now girlfriend might have been into girly stuff. But Naruto had to remind himself that just like he did, Sakura's tastes in decore had most likely changed as she grew and matured.

And so when Sakura turned the knob and pushed her bedroom door open, motioning for him to enter first, imagine Naruto's surprise that his initial thoughts had quickly been disproven.

"I know it's not much, but feel free to make yourself comfortable. I need to use the bathroom, so I'll be back shortly." Sakura flashed a brief smile before disappearing to go down the hall.

Looking around at the different furniture and decor, Naruto observed that Sakura's room was very simple in design. Along the right-hand wall as you entered the room, there was a wardrobe, a dresser and a make-up table with a vanity.

In the lower left-hand corner was a desk with a comfortable cushioned chair for studying. A bookshelf situated right beside it was filled to the brim with numerous scrolls and medical textbooks. Naruto figured that all this material was stuff Sakura had been made to study by her mentor.

Finally in the upper left-hand corner of the room was a sliding door that led to a small balcony. In close proximity was Sakura's bed accompanied by a small nightstand with a few picture frames on it. Squinting his eyes a bit, Naruto was able to easily recognize one of them as the old Team Seven photo they had taken after passing Kakashi's first bell test. The other photo, however, came as a bit of a surprise to the jinchuriki.

Naruto walked over towards the nightstand and picked the photo up. It was one of him and Sakura taken at Ichiraku's by Ayame the day before he left on his training trip with Jiraiya.

Flashback:

_Naruto had been pigging out on his fifth bowl of ramen, while Sakura was still on her first. Unbeknownst to either one of the Genin, Teuchi had decided to play a prank on the hyperactive blonde after Naruto forgot to pay his bill the day before. The elder Ichiraku thought it would serve as a sufficient reminder to tell the blonde to stop thinking with just his stomach. _

_Just as Naruto was about to holler for Ayame to serve him another bowl, the blonde instead found it being dumped over his head. Strands of noodles, pieces of the miso pork and the sauce were spilled all over Naruto's normally blonde hair and orange jacket. While the hyperactive jinchuriki began to argue with Teuchi, Sakura and Ayame burst out into a fit of laughter. _

Flashback End:

Just as he finished reminiscing, Naruto heard Sakura enter the room and immediately placed the picture frame back down in its original spot.

The pinkette made her way over to the edge of the bed and plopped down, patting the space next to her for Naruto to join her. She went on to say, "Ayame gave me that a few days after you left with Jiraiya. She thought it would be a nice way to help me remember the time we spent together. I've kept it on my nightstand ever since because seeing that goofy smile of yours always brightened my mood a bit after a long day at the hospital or training with Shishou. But more than anything, it served as a reminder of why I had dedicated myself to becoming a medical ninja. I did it to support you."

Taking a seat beside her, Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "I kind of hated the old man for pulling that on me, especially when he did it knowing that the girl I had a crush on was sitting right beside me at the time. Looking back on it now though, I'm glad Ayame took that picture. It was the first time that I had really felt genuinely happy and at peace after Sasuke's death. I just wish the Teme could have known the truth of why Itachi sacrificed everything to save him and the village."

"Yeah." Sakura whispered sadly. "But at least we now have an opportunity to make things right and bring down Madara for good."

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to stop that bastard from laying harm to this village again." Naruto declared. "My parents gave their lives to save mine, so the best way to honor their memory is to learn how to work with the Nine-Tails as a two-man team."

"And just as Kakashi-sensei said, him and I will be there to help you in any way we can." Sakura added.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, leaning in to give her a peck on the lips, which the pinkette gladly reciprocated.

"Just promise me that no matter what happens, you'll come back to me in one piece. Losing one teammate was hard enough. I cannot bear to lose another." Sakura whispered.

"Promise of a lifetime." Naruto replied with his trademark grin.

"Sakura, dinner's ready!" They heard Mebuki shout from the kitchen.

"I guess that's our cue. Ready to go eat?" Sakura asked.

"Hai. Let's go." Naruto said as he followed Sakura back downstairs.

XXXX

Kizashi Haruno had just gotten home after spending a long day meeting with a fellow merchant from Suna. The two were finalizing the terms of a new trade agreement that would prove beneficial to each involved party, offering items not normally available to their respective village.

The process had been an exhausting one for both Kizashi and his counterpart from Suna, but that did little to dampen the dull-pink-haired man's otherwise jovial and charismatic nature. As he set his bag down on top of the shoe storage cabinet placed conveniently just inside the entrance to his humble abode, Kizashi briefly sat down on the small step to remove his shoes before getting up and walked into the open dining room.

"Mebuki, I'm home!" Kizashi greeted his wife.

"Welcome back honey. You're just in time too. We have someone special joining us for dinner tonight." Mebuki eluded while she finished preparing dinner.

"Oh? I didn't know we were expecting guests." An intrigued Kizashi asked. "Is it one of Sakura's suitors again?"

Having completely ignored the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs, Kizashi took a seat at the dinner table without a second thought in the world. Unbeknownst to the Haruno patriarch, his daughter had heard everything he just said.

"Dad!" Sakura exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Oh, Sakura! I didn't know you had gotten back from your mission." Kizashi said, his eyes moving to examine the young man standing behind his daughter.

"So, who might this fine young man be? Your boyfriend?" The pink-haired man teased.

"Dad, I'm warning you. Do not embarrass me in front of our guest!" Sakura threatened while glaring at her father with a hint of anger clearly visible in her emerald eyes.

"Kizashi, knock it off!" Mebuki chastised.

"I was only kidding, dear." Kizashi heartily laughed, making his daughter and Naruto both comically sweat drop.

Letting her brief stint of anger dissipate, Sakura moved aside so Naruto was fully visible and said, "This is my boyfriend Naruto."

"Oh, so your Minato and Kushina's boy! It's nice to finally put a face to name. Welcome!" Kizashi exclaimed cheerfully as he got up from his chair and extended a hand to shake with Naruto.

Reciprocating the gesture, Naruto nervously replied, "It's nice to meet you as well, Mr. Haruno."

"No need for formalities, Naruto. Just Kizashi is fine. Why don't you take a seat?" Kizashi politely offered, gesturing for Naruto to join him at the table.

Naruto nodded and pulled out a free chair, taking a seat with Sakura doing the same to his immediate right-hand side. Kizashi then set about to ask Naruto some simple questions in an effort to break the ice and ease the blonde's nervousness.

"So, Naruto. Seeing this is our first time meeting each other, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?" Kizashi asked.

"Uh, sure. What would you like to know?" Naruto stammered in response.

"Well, how about you start with something such as what you like to do in your free time or what your goals are as a shinobi?" Kizashi suggested. "Mebuki and I only know only whatever Sakura has told us about you, so I'm very curious to learn more about the special man in my daughter's life."

"Oh, uh… let's see…" Naruto's voice trailed off briefly while he tried to come up with something he hoped that Sakura hadn't already shared with her parents about him.

While Kizashi waited for a response, Sakura knew that her father was using this as an opportunity to size up her boyfriend. The pinkette secretly wished her dad would stop trying to play the role of the overprotective father, even if his heart and intentions were in the right place. She was an adult in the eyes of the village, not a little girl anymore.

"If you don't mind me asking, Kizashi. What has Sakura-chan told you about me so far?" Naruto inquired.

"Hmm, I believe the last time she mentioned you was just before you got back from that training trip you were on with Lord Jiraiya of the Sannin. From what I remember, Sakura was telling me that she couldn't wait for you to get back and go on missions together again. She really missed having you around these last few years and I can tell just by looking at her that she's a lot happier now that you've returned." Kizashi began to elaborate, briefly making eye contact with his daughter who had since turned her head away ever so slightly to hide the shade of pink on her cheeks.

"But getting back on topic, everything that Sakura has told me about you so far has been nothing but good. She's always described you as a bit of a knucklehead, which is something I'm sure you no doubt inherited from Kushina. Underneath that though, Sakura said you have a wonderful heart and will go out of your way to protect those you love. That is something very unique to see in someone your age, especially when you endured things that most young children never have to face such as growing up without your parents around to raise you. I just want you to know Naruto that neither Mebuki or myself have thought ill of you because of what you carry. Your parents were very dear friends to us and it only pains me that it took this long for us to finally meet." Kizashi finished.

Sakura was touched by what her father had just said to Naruto. Even though she knew that her boyfriend was still nervous about meeting her parents for the first time, she was glad that she gave him the extra nudge to tag along for dinner tonight.

As for Naruto, he was beginning to feel a bit more at ease around Sakura's parents. And now that he had a better idea of what Mebuki and Kizashi knew about him, he was willing to open up and share more about himself.

"It sounds like you did a pretty good job telling your parents of what they could expect from me, Sakura-chan." Naruto smiled at the pinkette beside him, before turning back to Kizashi, "The only thing I think she left out is that I hope to become Hokage one day. I want to be a leader that everybody in this village can respect and look up to."

"That sounds like an admirable goal Naruto. I look forward to seeing where your shinobi career takes you." Kizashi smiled back.

Just then, Mebuki came into the dining room carrying a big pot of soup. She set it down in the center of the table and announced, "Dinner is served!"

"Had I known you were joining us for dinner tonight, Naruto, then I probably would've prepared some homemade ramen. Sakura says it's your favorite dish. But I'm afraid my famous Teriyaki chicken, rice and miso soup will have to do, seeing this was all spur of the moment. I hope that's okay?" Mebuki inquired.

"Of course, Mebuki!" Naruto beamed. "When I was out on the road with Pervy Sage, I had to learn to eat something other than ramen all the time."

"Wonderful! Feel free to help yourself to more if you're still hungry." Mebuki said as she took the ladle and poured some soup into Naruto's dish, handing it to the blonde.

Both Mebuki and Sakura watched on nervously as Naruto took his first spoonful and were surprised when they saw the blonde's face light up.

"This is great! No wonder Sakura-chan is such a good cook." Naruto complimented, causing Sakura's face to flush a bit.

"That's very nice of you to say Naruto. It's reassuring to know that my daughter will make a good housewife once you two get married." Mebuki teased.

"Mom!" Sakura exclaimed in embarrassment, whereas Naruto just spit out a mouthful of soup. Kizashi all the while struggled to contain his laughter.

"Oh, would you relax for once Sakura and stop taking everything so seriously? I was just joking." Mebuki countered, as she finished ladling some soup into bowls for herself, along with her husband and daughter.

With everyone finally seated, Kizashi exclaimed, "Let's eat!"

(A little while later…)

Mebuki had just finished clearing the table of any dishes and the pot of soup. She returned to the dining room immediately thereafter and took a seat, ready to answer any questions Naruto had about Kushina.

"So what did you want to know about your mom?" Mebuki asked the blonde-haired jinchuriki.

"Anything, really. Kakashi-sensei only told me a little bit about her, stating that she was a very kind and compassionate woman. But according to him, she could also be a real hothead if her temper got the better of her." Naruto said.

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it!" Mebuki laughed. "In her youth, your mother was a very headstrong, eccentric and stubborn girl. It didn't take a rocket scientist to notice how tomboyish and talkative she was too. That was evident from the very first moment she set foot in the room, blurting out how she wanted to be the first female Hokage."

"Gee doesn't that sound familiar?" Sakura kidded as she looked at Naruto.

"You too, Naruto? Guess it runs in the family." Mebuki observed before moving on, "Anyway, some of the boys in our class found it hard to take her seriously and immediately thereafter began to tease her. They made fun of Kushina's rounded face and especially her red hair, going so far as to give her the nickname Tomato. If only they knew what was going to happen next."

"What happened?" Naruto eagerly asked with excitement.

"Well, let's just say that Kushina gave them the beating of a lifetime. Mind you that this didn't simply apply to just the one group of boys. Kushina would beat up anyone who dared to tease or pick a fight with her. Combine that with her hair flying wildly as she did it and you begin to understand how your mother earned her infamous nickname as the Red Hot Habanero." Mebuki explained.

After hearing Mebuki recount how much of a badass his mother was, Naruto was curious to find out more. Perhaps the question burning in his mind the most was just how two had met and become friends. So he went on to ask, "Mebuki, how did you meet my mom?"

"Oh boy…" Mebuki sighed, "Just like Kushina, I too had a rebellious side to me when I was younger. During the academy days, I wanted to prove to everyone else that I was strong enough to fight alone. That's why I used to pick fights all the time with the other girls in our class. But they would always go on to say that I was nothing compared to the Red Hot Habanero. So the only way to gain that respect was if I beat your mother."

Flashback:

A young twelve-year-old Mebuki was currently perched atop a section of the fence that surrounded the Hidden Leaf's academy grounds. School had just gotten out for the day and the young blonde-haired girl waited for her target to come into range. In her ongoing bid to prove that she was amongst the strongest girls in their class, Mebuki had one more challenge to face before she could truly feel as though she'd earned the respect that she so desperately yearned for. The girl in question that she was targeting was Kushina Uzumaki, also more commonly known as the Red Hot Habanero.

Time continued to pass and so too did Mebuki's patience; until at long last she caught a glimpse of the familiar head of red hair that belonged to Kushina.

Mebuki watched as Kushina started to walk by her, completely oblivious to her surroundings. That's when Mebuki began to make her move.

"Well if it isn't little miss tomato face." Mebuki jabbed, getting Kushina to stop in her tracks.

Turning her head to look over her right-hand shoulder, Kushina glared at Mebuki with daggers in her eyes. "What did you just call me?" Kushina snarled in response.

"You heard me… to-ma-to face." Mebuki repeated her insult once again, this time dragging out the syllables in hopes she could really strike a nerve.

"Why you… !" Kushina growled, her hair starting to fly wildly behind her as she waited for just the right moment to strike her opponent.

Fortunately for the Red Hot Habanero, Mebuki made the first move, raising her club over her head as she prepared to rain down hell on her opponent.

Kushina just smirked. She stepped to the side to evade the incoming blow and waited for Mebuki to get close. Then, Kushina pulled back her left fist and unloaded a powerful left hook to the side of Mebuki's cheek, sending the blonde-haired girl flying back against the fence.

The Red Hot Habanero marched up to her adversary and was about to finish her off when Mebuki's club suddenly came flying towards her and landed on the ground between herself and Mebuki with a loud thud. When she looked over her shoulder again, Kushina noticed a familiar group of girls from their class that had banded together and poked fun at her before. It seemed that they hadn't gotten the message after the first beating she gave their leader just a week earlier.

"Look at what we have here girls. The wannabe yankee just got beat down by tomato face. So much for all that talk of you being the strongest kunoichi in our class, Mebuki." The leader of the group insinuated.

And then, out of nowhere, the very same girl who Kushina had given the beating of a lifetime once before, found herself trapped under Kushina's foot. The feisty Uzumaki looked back at Mebuki and gave her a knowing look, which Mebuki knew all too well.

"Let's teach them a lesson, 'ttebane." Kushina threatened.

"Yannaro!" Mebuki shouted in agreement.

Flashback End:

"And so you see, what started as a mutual hatred for one another quickly turned into a beautiful friendship." Mebuki smiled fondly as she finished her tale of the time she and Kushina truly became friends.

"Wow. That's an amazing story, mom." Sakura complimented.

"Do you have any others you could share?" Naruto asked.

"Hmm." Mebuki thought aloud for a moment until another fond memory came rushing back to her. "There's one other story that comes to mind, although this will have to be the abridged version seeing I've got some other things to wrap up before winding down for the night."

"Your mother came by one day after a check-up she had at the hospital. I couldn't quite make out what Kushina was saying at first because her mouth was running a mile a minute, resulting in a bunch of garbled nonsense rather than an actual coherent sentence. After she took a minute to stop and catch her breath, Kushina told me that she was pregnant." Mebuki began to recount.

"Even though it was still a few months before she'd actually find out the gender, Kushina was so certain that she was going to have a boy. I told her she was so full of herself, but that did little to stop her from going on to make plans and talk about what would happen if our kids got to get together one day." Mebuki laughed as she thought back to that day. "But now, as much as I hate to admit it, seeing you two together proves that she was right all along."

"Thank you for sharing that story, Mebuki." Naruto said.

"Oh, it was my pleasure Naruto. Kizashi and I owe you a great deal of gratitude for everything you've done for my daughter. You were there for her when she needed a friend the most." Mebuki said.

"There's no need to thank me. Sakura-chan is one of the most important people in my life." Naruto said.

Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, Kizashi asked, "While we're still on the topic of my daughter, I have one last question I want to ask you Naruto, before you leave. What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Naruto hadn't anticipated being put in the hot seat like this, but he understood why Kizashi was asking such a serious question. The older Haruno simply wanted what was best for his daughter.

"Sakura-chan and I haven't been together very long, so this whole relationship thing is still pretty new to me. That's why we're taking things slow, giving us time to get to know each other better." Naruto began to explain.

Arching an eyebrow, Kizashi said, "I see. So this is your first committed relationship?"

"Dad! Stop putting him on the spot like that." Sakura burst out in embarrassment.

"It's alright Sakura-chan." Naruto said, trying to get his girlfriend to calm down before turning his attention back toward Kizashi, "Yes. This is my first long-term relationship. I'd like to add though that your daughter is the only girl I've ever had eyes for."

"Oh?" Kizashi asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. I told Sakura this on our first date, but I think it would be prudent to share it with you guys as well. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I was determined to do anything to win her heart." Naruto paused, briefly turning to look at Sakura, who was giving him a loving look in return.

Moving his head back to its original position, Naruto continued, "I'll be honest with you Kizashi. I never thought in a million years that Sakura would reciprocate my feelings for her. But when she confessed after I got back from my training trip with Pervy Sage, I can say with absolute certainty that she was well worth waiting for. Sakura's been nothing short of amazing to me. She's sweet, loving, supportive… the list goes on. Your daughter is everything I could have imagined and more."

"But to answer your question Kizashi, if things continue to go well as they have been since we started seeing each other, I'd like to marry her one day." Naruto boldly declared.

Sakura was initially taken aback by Naruto's declaration. The pinkette was well aware of how her boyfriend used to shout so loud that the whole village could hear, vocalizing his determination to win her heart. Back then, nobody took him seriously, viewing him as a loudmouth.

Sakura smiled a bit thinking back on how different things were back then compared to now.

"Hmm." Kizashi hummed. "I can see that you make her happy, so the only request I have to make is that you take good care of her for me."

"Yes sir." Naruto answered.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business-related matters to finalize for an upcoming trade trip." Kizashi said as he got up from his chair and extended his hand to shake with Naruto one last time before he disappeared upstairs.

"I'm going to head up stairs too and get ready for bed. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Mebuki teased.

"I better get going too." Naruto said as he got up.

"Do you want to stay the night? I don't think my parents would mind." Sakura offered, not yet wanting to part from Naruto's company.

"I appreciate the offer, Sakura-chan, but I don't want to impose on your parents' hospitality any more than I already have." Naruto said.

"Please, Naruto-kun?" Sakura pleaded, trying to give Naruto her best puppy dog eye impression.

"Sorry Sakura-chan. That's not going to work on me this time." Naruto chuckled as he watched his girlfriend's expression quickly dampen from one of hopefulness to disappointment.

"But before I go, I just want to say thank you for being there for me today. It really meant a lot to know that I have someone standing by my side that I can trust and loves me for who I am." Planting a kiss on her forehead, Naruto looked at Sakura and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

The pinkette smiled as she watched her boyfriend vacate the premise and proceeded to go upstairs herself to get ready for bed too.

XXXX

(Somewhere near the border in Stone Country…)

Konan had spent the last few days per Pain's request, searching for any traces of Itachi or Kisame based on their last known location. The blue-haired kunoichi's efforts so far were proving to be less than fruitful.

As Konan started to emerge from the densely populated forest that she'd been traversing through for the last few hours, she found herself now at the edge of a small clearing. Words could hardly even begin to describe the horrors she was about to witness next.

The clearing Konan had seemingly stumbled upon as if by accident was not a picturesque scene like one portrayed in that of a painting from a talented author. No, this was a rather gruesome sight to behold. The ground which was likely once covered with lush, thick grass, now resembled more of a badly charred battlefield. Pieces of rocks and fallen branches were strewn every which way. And that's when something peculiar caught the blue-haired kunoichi's attention from the corner of her eye. There appeared to be a body perched up against the base of a boulder just a little ways off in the distance.

Konan slowly walked over to the boulder to investigate and could not believe what she was seeing. There lie the body of one Kisame Hoshigaki. His skin was badly charred a dark black almost reminiscent of charcoal coals and his clothes were torn to shreds. Perhaps the most unusual thing though to Konan was that there was no sign of Kisame's sword, Samehada.

Taking a step back to ponder what might have happened, Konan started to review the intelligence that had been gathered on the Four-Tails in her mind. It was common knowledge that the beast possessed Lava Release. But as she carefully examined the burn marks inflicted upon Kisame's now lifeless body, Konan observed that the damage was much more serious than she'd initially anticipated. In addition, something was familiar about them to her. These burn marks were eerily similar to the ones inflicted upon other victims that met their demise at the hands of Kisame's partner, Itachi Uchiha.

After reviewing all of the information she had gathered, including the evidence before her, Konan was led to one conclusion. Kisame Hoshigaki had died at the hands of his own partner. Furthermore, it meant that Itachi was the traitor in their midst, which explained how the Hidden Leaf had been able to get the upper-hand and rescue the One-Tailed beast's jinchuriki from their grips. He had used the opportunity of Pain's transformation technique with the sacrifice to notify the Leaf shinobi who had entered their secret cavern in the Land of Rivers.

"Pain is not going to be happy about this." Konan cursed to herself, as she was now left wondering just how they were going to deal with this leak of information.

XXXX

(Meanwhile back in the Hidden Leaf…)

Itachi was in the kitchen of his new one bedroom apartment, cooking himself a late dinner. The Last Uchiha was deep in thought as he stirred the soup. He couldn't help but wonder how things had gone at the Hokage tower after Naruto abruptly left to confront Jiraiya and Tsunade upon learning of his heritage from the Nine-Tailed fox.

His decision to push Jiraiya and the Hokage to tell Naruto the truth was not an easy one, but Itachi rationalized that it had to be done. The threat that the Akatsuki posed, especially the one claiming to be Madara Uchiha could not be ignored.

Itachi snapped out of thought when he suddenly felt an unusual presence nearby. Setting the spoon down on the counter, he went into the next room with his Sharingan at the ready, prepared for anything that might come his way. He scanned the living room carefully, looking for the slightest hint or trace that something was not as it seemed. After concluding that there was no threat, Itachi's eyes returned their normal onyx color. Unfortunately, he let his guard down too soon.

Just as he began to turn around, Itachi was met by the sight of an unknown assailant cloaked in a dark robe with their face hidden behind a porcelain mask resembling that of a bird. The assailant drove a standard issue Anbu sword straight through his lower abdomen.

Thinking they had gotten the better of the once rogue nuke nin known as Itachi Uchiha, the masked figure finally let out a brief scoff and said in a deep female voice, "So much for the genius prodigy, Itachi Uchiha."

The assailant would quickly come to regret their last statement when 'Itachi' disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"A Shadow Clone?" The masked figure cursed, this time in a much louder and more feminine tone. "Why don't come out and face me like a man truly worthy of dying?"

That's when the real Itachi appeared behind her in a blindspot and restrained the assailant so she could not move. He guided his hand toward the mysterious attackers mask. As Itachi removed the porcelain mask that covered the assassin's face, nothing could prepare him for the shock that was about to take hold.

Frozen, one word left the Last Uchiha's mouth, "Izumi?" Itachi asked in disbelief, when eyes were met with the face of someone he thought had been slayen the night of the Uchiha Massacre.

End Chapter 14

And there we go! I'm evil for leaving another cliffhanger like that, aren't I? In any case, I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. Besides the one that had the fight with Sasori, this chapter had to be the most difficult to write just because of hitting all the right emotional chords and plot points in one go. I also want to note that the flashback scene with Mebuki and Kushina was inspired by an unfinished comic by LadyGT.

The next chapter is already in the works, but I can't honestly say when it'll be ready due to all the in-real-life shit that I've got going on right now. Nevertheless, I would like to thank my friends Tormint, ProjectTactical-99 and Bruins35 for all their help in getting this finished. And thank you all so much for your continued support. Please stay safe and be sure to drop a like, fav and a review! Until next time. Nate, out.


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